


The Disappearance of Adaine Abernant

by supercantaloupe



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), Fantasy High
Genre: Angst, Battle, Campaign 01 Season 01: Fantasy High Freshman Year (Dimension 20), Canon-Typical Violence, Dungeons & Dragons Game Mechanics, Fantasy High Freshman Year Spoilers (Dimension 20), Gen, Light Angst, Mystery, Summer Vacation, Teenagers, Texting, i guess?, lets go with that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26334832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercantaloupe/pseuds/supercantaloupe
Summary: "Alright. Eyes and ears open. Stay in touch. Let’s find our friend."The Bad Kids all take some well-earned time off during the summer to unwind after all the excitement of their freshman year. But time off and time apart may not be as equally beneficial to them all. When the gang realizes that Adaine's been unheard from for several days, they know they have to act fast and act together to find her.
Relationships: Kristen Applebees/Tracker O'Shaughnessey, The Bad Kids & The Bad Kids (Dimension 20)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 84





	1. Praise Helio!

**Author's Note:**

> Post-freshman year; spoilers within. No spoilers for sophomore year or beyond.

_\-- PrayerChain messenger -- Praise Helio! --_

_Riz Gukgak joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Riz:** guys we need to talk

_Kristen Applebees joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Gorgug Thistlespring joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** what’s up??

 **Gorgug:** Hi kristen

 **Gorgug:** Hi riz

_Fabian Seacaster joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** hi!

 **Fabian:** oh my god i forgot we had this

 **Riz:** hey guys

 **Gorgug:** Hi fabian

 **Fabian:** why are we still using prayerchain to text

 **Riz:** guys

 **Gorgug:** I dont think we actually have a normal group text 

**Fabian:** why the fuck not

 **Kristen:** hey, Prayerchain works! why fix what isn’t broken?

 **Fabian:** you dont even worship helio anymore kristen you worship a clickbait button

 **Kristen:** hey hey don’t say that about Yes! you just don’t understand it!

 **Fabian:** neither do you

 **Fabian:** prayerchain sucks

 **Gorgug:** I dont mind using prayerchain

 **Riz:** guys

_Fig Faeth joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** what’s so bad about Prayerchain?

 **Fig:** woah prayerchain

 **Fig:** vintage

 **Gorgug:** Hi fig

 **Riz:** guys!!

 **Fig:** whats up, gorgug?

 **Fabian:** that for one thing

 **Fabian:** the annoying notification sound every single time someone logs on

 **Fig:** just turn your ringer off dude

 **Fabian:** absolutely not i cant miss any important messages

 **Fig:** aelwyns not gonna call u bro shes in jail

 **Fig:** in fallinel

 **Fig:** or somethin

 **Riz:** GUYS!!!!

 **Gorgug:** What is it?

 **Kristen:** what?

 **Fabian:** oh my god, YES, the ball, what is it

 **Fig:**?

 **Fabian:** spit it out already

 **Kristen:** let him type, dude!

 **Riz:** has anyone seen Adaine recently

 **Fig:** …

 **Fig:** no actually

 **Gorgug:** I havent

 **Kristen:** huh

 **Kristen:** me neither

 **Fabian:** you messaged us all on prayerchain for that

 **Riz:** well we’re all busy now 

**Riz:** it seemed easier than trying to meet up in person?

 **Kristen:** he has a point

 **Fabian:** adaines probably just busy too she’ll probably be here in a minute

 **Riz:** no like. she hasn’t been answering her crystal.

 **Fig:** wait really

 **Kristen:** at all?

 **Gorgug:** Thats weird

 **Fabian:** give it a minute

 **Fabian:** just wait

 **Fig:** …

 **Fabian:** shell log on in just a second

 **Riz:** this is what im trying to say

_Kristen Applebees sent a prayer request to Adaine Abernant. Praise Helio!_

_Kristen Applebees nudged Adaine Abernant. Praise Helio!_

_Fabian Seacaster nudged Adaine Abernant. Praise Helio!_

**Fig:** ok im starting to see what u mean abt the notifications fabes

 **Riz:** she isn’t responding at all

 **Gorgug:** Do we want to try calling her

 **Fig:** u can give it a try

 **Kristen:** this is spooky

 **Gorgug:** No answer

 **Fabian:** maybe her crystal died

 **Fabian:** or it got lost

 **Fig:** or stolen 👀

 **Fabian:** oh please were not on an adventure right now its summer break

 **Kristen:** who knows?

 **Fig:** you dont know that

 **Fig:** adventures happen all the time

 **Gorgug:** Didnt aguefort say that crown thing went missing from his office at the end of the year

 **Riz:** i mean i’ve been trying to look into that but

 **Riz:** there hasn’t been any new development so far

 **Gorgug:** Oh

 **Riz:** so i don’t think it’s that

_Kristen Applebees nudged Adaine Abernant. Praise Helio!_

**Fabian:** will you cut that out its clearly not helping

 **Kristen:** sorry, i just wanted to try one more time

 **Riz:** okay so

 **Riz:** no one’s heard from her on their crystal recently, right?

 **Kristen:** nope

 **Gorgug:** No

 **Fig:** uh-uh

 **Riz:** has anybody SEEN her?

 **Fig:** i mean me and gorgug have been busy with band stuff

 **Gorgug:** Sometimes im with zelda

 **Fig:** sometimes hes w zelda

 **Fabian:** i havent seen her

 **Kristen:** me neither

 **Fabian:** wait dont you live with her now

 **Kristen:** huh?

 **Riz:** right, don’t you live with jawbone now?

 **Kristen:** oh

 **Kristen:** sometimes

 **Riz:** and you haven’t seen her recently?

 **Kristen:** well no

 **Fig:** i mean strongtowers apartments arent exactly big

 **Fig:** dunno how ud miss her if she was there

 **Fig:** they call em luxury apartments but aint much luxury about them

 **Fabian:** amen

_Fabian Seacaster gave an amen! Praise Helio!_

**Fabian:** godammit

 **Kristen:** listen when i’m over at Jawbone’s i’m not spending much time in the living room

 **Gorgug:** Youre not?

 **Kristen:** nah i’m getting cozy in tracker’s room

 **Fig:** lol

 **Gorgug:** Huh?

 **Fig:** look it up in ur binder

 **Kristen:** 😏

 **Fabian:** ew

 **Fig:** jealous much

 **Fabian:** preposterous

 **Riz:** guys can we please focus?

 **Fig:** right sry

 **Riz:** you definitely haven’t seen Adaine recently, right Kristen?

 **Kristen:** i guess not for a few days

 **Kristen:** Tracker and i have been doing some travelling

 **Kristen:** you know, working to spread the message of Yes!, doing some outreach, doing some hiking, camping out

 **Kristen:** so we haven’t been in the apartment all the time

 **Riz:** do you remember the last time you DID see her? 

**Kristen:** i think a few days ago

 **Riz:** what happened?

 **Fig:** did she say anything

 **Kristen:** um, let me think

 **Kristen:** we were having breakfast

 **Kristen:** Jawbone made pancakes

 **Fig:** hes kinda awesome

 **Kristen:** yeah he is

 **Kristen:** and Jawbone went to get Adaine from her room, and i heard him knock on the door and ask her if she was coming to eat

 **Kristen:** and i didn’t hear what she said but i heard Jawbone asking her to eat something at least

 **Kristen:** he didn’t want her pancakes to get cold

 **Kristen:** you know how awesome pancakes are when they’re right off the griddle but they’re so disappointing after they start to cool down and they get all soggy?

 **Fig:** ugh yeah

 **Gorgug:** Yes

 **Fabian:** every time

 **Riz:** and then what?

 **Kristen:** right. uh, she said something else i couldn’t hear, and Jawbone came back to the kitchen, and a few minutes later Adaine came out

 **Kristen:** well not like CAME OUT came out, but you know

 **Fig:** lol

 **Fabian:** we get it

 **Kristen:** it was morning so she was still in her pjs which was pretty normal, but she had some major bedhead going on

 **Kristen:** which is weird cause she doesn’t sleep 

**Kristen:** she kind of looked like a mess. like her hair was everywhere

 **Kristen:** and she had brought out this big book with her that she was reading at the table the whole time

 **Riz:** what book?

 **Kristen:** i didn’t see

 **Kristen:** and she didn’t say much. i dont know if she said anything at all

 **Kristen:** she mostly just read her book and poked at her pancakes and let them get all gross and soggy

 **Kristen:** Jawbone said something else to her at one point and she nodded and then a bit later she got up and went back to her room

 **Gorgug:** huh

 **Fig:** weird

 **Riz:** is that it?

 **Kristen:** that’s all i remember, yeah

 **Kristen:** Tracker and i were getting ready to go out on a trip so i wasn’t paying that much attention to Adaine i guess

 **Kristen:** sorry

 **Riz:** it’s alright

 **Fig:** i mean u didnt know shed disappear

 **Riz:** yeah

 **Fabian:** okay so she was acting kind of weird and then stopped answering her crystal

 **Fabian:** that’s kind of weird i guess

 **Fabian:** but adaine is just kind of weird

 **Fabian:** we know that already

 **Gorgug:** Hey

 **Fabian:** im just saying maybe this is just some weird wizard stuff

 **Fabian:** or oracle stuff

 **Fabian:** that we dont get because were not wizards or elven oracles or whatever

 **Fabian:** shell probably be back and totally normal again soon

_Gorgug Thistlespring sent a prayer request to Adaine Abernant. Praise Helio!_

**Fig:** idk dude

 **Fig:** even if it is weird elf wizard oracle stuff it seems weird she just disappeared

 **Kristen:** yeah

 **Fig:** like w/o saying anything to anyone??

 **Fig:** pretty sus

 **Gorgug:** I tried calling her again and she still didnt answer

 **Riz:** okay so what’s our next move?

 **Kristen:** i was gonna ask that

 **Fabian:** i say give it another couple of days to work itself out

 **Fig:** i dont think we should just sit and wait

 **Fig:** what if something bad happened and she needs our help

 **Riz:** i’m with Fig on this 

**Kristen:** sorry, Fabian, you’ve been outvoted

 **Fig:** haha

 **Fabian:** fine then what’s the plan

 **Gorgug:** Should we go look for her

 **Fig:** yeah let’s split up 

**Gorgug:** Um where are we going to look though?

 **Riz:** where is everybody now? 

**Kristen:** Tracker and i are heading back to Elmville now

 **Fabian:** im at seacaster manor

 **Gorgug:** Im also at home

 **Fig:** im doing band stuff but im still in town

 **Riz:** okay. definitely someone should go talk to Jawbone. he’s our best lead right now

 **Kristen:** i’m headed to his apartment anyway, i’ll talk to him

 **Kristen:** you should meet me there we can snoop around in her room for clues

 **Kristen:** i know you love snooping around for clues

 **Riz:** i do love snooping around for clues

 **Fig:** haha

 **Riz:** but we should figure out what the rest of us are going to do first

 **Fig:** well who else might know smth

 **Fig:** wait i know

 **Fig:** ill go to the cemetery

 **Gorgug:** Why the cemetery?

 **Fig:** thats where zayn is right

 **Kristen:** yeah

 **Fabian:** oh god. he creeps me the hell out

 **Fig:** arent he and adaine friends

 **Gorgug:** I think so

 **Kristen:** oh yeah!

 **Fig:** great so ill go talk to him and see if he knows anything

 **Riz:** wait, someone should go with you

 **Fig:** why

 **Riz:** if something weird is going on i don’t think any of us should be alone

 **Fig:** oh good point

 **Gorgug:** I can go with fig

 **Fig:** sick

 **Riz:** okay great

 **Fabian:** ill find bud cubby he might be able to help

 **Riz:** i’ll go with you then we can snoop around downtown while we’re at it

 **Fabian:** ugh fine

 **Fig:** wait kristen doesnt have a partner 

**Gorgug:** Doesnt kristen have tracker?

 **Kristen:** hell yeah i do

 **Fabian:** shes not part of the crew!

 **Fig:** careful fabian ur starting to sound jealous

 **Fabian:** im not jealous i have a perfectly marvelous INCOMPARABLE girlfriend of my own

 **Fabian:** who is currently being held somewhere secret and i am working tirelessly to locate her and stage a daring rescue

 **Kristen:** you should be glad Adaine isn’t here to hear you say that about her sister, lol

 **Fig:** barf

 **Fabian:** now who’s jealous

 **Fig:** why would i be jealous of you and our friends sister when you made out one time at a party 

**Fig:** meanwhile im a budding rockstar with the worlds hottest doctor in my pocket and we kiss all the time

 **Gorgug:** I dont know if this is helpful but me and zelda hang out and sometimes kiss

 **Riz:** guys can we stop talking about kissing for a second

 **Gorgug:** Right sorry

 **Riz:** okay so Kristen’s going with Tracker to talk to Jawbone and search for clues in Adaine’s room, Fig and Gorgug are going to the cemetery to find Zayn, and me and Fabian are going into town to find Bud Cubby, right?

 **Riz:** let’s report back to Basrar’s when we’re done

 **Fig:** got it

 **Kristen:** on it

 **Gorgug:** Got it

 **Fabian:** alright

 **Kristen:** man i missed you guys it’ll be great to hang out together again

 **Fig:** its been like two weeks girl

 **Kristen:** i know but still

 **Gorgug:** Maybe we should find adaine first

 **Gorgug:** And think about hanging out after

 **Kristen:** alright yeah

 **Riz:** we good to go?

**Fig: 👍**

**Gorgug:** Yes

 **Kristen:** yes!!

 **Fabian:** let’s roll out, the ball

 **Riz:** alright. eyes and ears open. stay in touch. let’s find our friend

_Fabian Seacaster left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Fig Faeth left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Riz Gukgak left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Kristen Applebees left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Gorgug Thistlespring left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_


	2. The Band Kids

“Don’t you think, uh, maybe we shouldn’t be walking on  _ top _ of all the graves?” Gorgug asked.

“I’m not  _ on _ the graves, I’m on the grave _ stones,” _ Fig corrected. Her arms were outstretched for balance as she tightrope walked along a headstone. “Big difference.”

“Um, yeah,” Gorgug conceded. He was standing several feet away, respectfully in the grass of the aisle between rows of graves with his hands held together in front of him, nervously. “I dunno. It just feels, um, disrespectful.”

“They’re dead, Gorgug, I don’t think they’re gonna tell us off.” Fig jumped to the next headstone and wobbled slightly to catch her balance.

“Right. Yeah.” A beat. “But, I mean, we  _ are _ here to talk to a ghost, so I think, uh, maybe they can and will and we should be a little more considerate?”

“Oh yeah. Good point.” The tiefling hopped over to the last gravestone in the row and then jumped down, landing in the aisle just in front of her companion. She looked up at him and grinned, throwing her arms out once again in a “ta-da”. Then they kept walking. “D’you remember where Zayn’s grave is?”

“Um, I’m not sure. Adaine knows best, she comes down here sometimes, right? I’ll text her.” He started to pull out his crystal. Fig placed a hand on his arm.

“Gorgug.”

“What?” He blinked. “Oh. Right. That’s why we’re -- Yeah. Sorry.” He moved to put his crystal back in his pocket. Fig patted him on the arm.

“‘S alright, buddy. Let’s keep looking.” The pair kept walking, scanning the names on each stone they passed as they went. 

“I didn’t realize how big this place was,” Gorgug commented. Despite it being summer and a lovely day out, he felt oddly chilled. 

“I actually think it’s kinda dinky when it’s all sunny out. The ambiance is totally different when it’s not dark.”

“I dunno...I think it’s still kinda creepy.”

“Is this just about that time you died again? Gorthalax said that wasn’t hell, dude, it was orc heaven and it honestly sounds pretty dope to me.”

“No I was thinking about the cemetery itself...well,  _ now _ I’m thinking about that.” His unsettled frown deepened. Fig kept her hand on his arm, trying to be reassuring. 

“Deep breaths, buddy, it’s alright.”

“I mean, I dunno. I just feel like we’re gonna find something poking around that we shouldn’t.”

“We’re adventurers, I don’t think there’s anything we shouldn’t…” Fig started to answer, but trailed off as she noticed Gorgug stop, looking at something. “Whatchya got?”

“Um, I’m not sure,” he answered. He left the main path a little, heading up a small hill to a particular tombstone. Fig followed him, and coming up behind, noticed what was written on it.

“Pok Gukgak,” she read out loud. She sighed. “Oh.”

Now they were both still and quiet, looking first for a while at the stone, then at each other. Neither knew what to say or do, it simply felt the least  _ wrong _ for now to stand quietly, and think, and observe. There were some shriveled petals from some flowers that had been laid down on the grave, probably several days or a couple weeks old by now. Silently, Fig cast a minor illusion of a small bouquet of fresh roses, and gently set them down in place of the old flowers.

“Ah yes, Mr. Gukgak,” a voice came from behind the teens, making them jump. “His grave has never gone too long without visitors since he arrived, almost six years ago now.”

“Son of a  _ bitch,” _ Fig hissed. “You can’t just  _ sneak up  _ on people like that, dude,” she said to the man who was definitely not Zayn Darkshadow. 

“Especially in a creepy place like this,” Gorgug added, now looking deeply rattled. Calming down, the pair recognized him as the cemetery’s undertaker.

“Creepy? Why, I’ve never known Cravencroft to be a  _ creepy _ location in the slightest,” Sylvester replied, creepily. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

_ “That,” _ Fig said, pointing at him. He blinked and seemed indifferent, possibly uncomprehendingly.

“How do you just walk around silently like that?” Gorgug asked. “That’s like the second time you’ve snuck up on us and I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard you move before.”

“Are you two children looking for something in particular?” Sylvester asked, with an air that reminded them how he felt about teenagers.

Fig and Gorgug blinked, looking at each other. “Um, yeah, actually,” Fig answered. “Do you know where Zayn Darkshadow is?”

“I believe last time we spoke here we established that young boy was dead.”

“Yeah, yeah. We know. You know where his grave’s at, I mean?”

“I know to whom every grave in Cravencroft belongs.”

“Again, that’s a little creepy,” Gorgug pointed out.

“I’m an undertaker, my boy.”

“Okay.” He still looked a little disturbed.

“Can you show us where Zayn’s grave is or not?” Fig asked again.

Sylvester turned and gazed out over the cemetery. After a beat, he raised up an arm and extended a finger to point out an area across the graveyard, with a couple of plots and some big shady trees. Fig did have to admit, to Gorgug’s credit, it  _ was _ a little fucking creepy how the dude seemed to be able to move without making  _ any _ sound whatsoever. 

“Zayn Darkshadow is interred over there.”

“Okay. Cool. Thanks,” Fig said, somewhat awkwardly, and waved a little. “Let’s go,” she added, grabbing Gorgug’s sleeve and tugging him along. “God, that guy is  _ weird.  _ I think I see what you mean now.”

“Yeah. Who just says ‘interred’?”

“I dunno. Let’s just find Zayn and get out of here. This place is so weird.”

They made their way shortly over to the area pointed out to them by Sylvester. Graves here seemed generally much less well-maintained, and less visited, too. The trees cast shadows across the grass and stones, with roots and spiderwebs snaking their way around too. After some quick searching, they found the stone bearing the name Zayn Darkshadow, looking slightly less old, dishevelled, and forgotten than the rest of the plots in the area.

“Well,” said Fig, staring down at it with her hands on her hips. “There it is.”

“Yeah.” Gorgug blinked at the tombstone for a moment, then looked around. “But, uh, we need to find Zayn. Not just his grave.”

“Right.” Fig looked up and around now too. “...I guess I thought he’d be  _ at _ his grave.”

“I mean, it’s the middle of the day in the summer. Maybe he’s not home?”

“Where does a ghost go in the middle of the day?”

“I dunno. Where does a teenager?”

The two glanced around the graveyard again, then shared a look.

“...Right.”

“Uh. Maybe he’s around, and we just don’t see him?” Gorgug suggested. “I’m not sure, uh, how ghosts really work.”

“Oh! Yeah, maybe. We should see if we can lure him out somehow,” Fig agreed, fiddling with the tuning pegs on her bass. “Hey, he’d still have his rat with him, right? Ghost rat? I can try making another sexy rat.”

“I don’t think we need to try the sexy rat again.”

Fig laughed. “No dude, it’ll work, trust me. The  _ only _ reason it didn’t last time was ‘cause they weren’t here.”

“I think we can try something else,” Gorgug scratched his head, thinking. “Zayn likes music, right? Maybe you can play something.”

“Oh! Yeah!” Fig’s face lit up.  _ “We _ can play something, dude!” she corrected, beginning to pluck out a groove on her bass. Gorgug looked sheepish.

“There’s no drums around here.” 

“You don’t need drums, bro, just go to town!” Fig exclaimed, putting her foot up on one of the gravestones.

“Again, I don’t think the dead would really like--” Gorgug protested.

“What are you two doing here?” came another voice. The pair jumped again in surprise.

“Goddammit, why does everyone keep fuckin’ sneaking up on us here?” Fig said, catching her breath.

“Why is your boot on my gravestone?” The pair recovered from their fright and noticed that they had indeed found the ghost they’d come to meet. “And why are you playing  _ rock music?” _ He looked disgusted.

“It’s punk rock,” Fig corrected, holding up a hand in a metal gesture and sticking out her tongue. “You like music, right?”

Zayn glared at her. “I like  _ good _ music.”

“Like what?” She put her tongue away and took her foot off the stone. Zayn seemed to relax somewhat.

“EDM?”

Fig threw her head back and sighed dramatically.  _ “Ethereal dance music? _ Come on, that’s not  _ good music.” _

“I would’ve thought a  _ bard _ would be able to tell the difference between good and bad--”

“Hi, Zayn,” Gorgug greeted, trying to be polite and get them back on track.

Zayn nodded at him. “‘Sup, dude?” 

“You hang out with Adaine sometimes, right?” Gorgug asked, simply enough. Zayn bristled.

“We’re not a  _ thing, _ dude, I don’t know  _ where _ you got  _ that _ idea--”

“Woah, that’s not--” Gorgug put his hands up defensively.

“Cool it, hot shot, nobody said anything like that,” Fig interrupted, making a ‘calm down’ motion with her hands. “We just wanna know if you’ve seen her around.”

“I mean, sometimes,” Zayn conceded. He lifted a hand to retrieve Edgar from his shoulder and hold him by his chest, petting his ghostly fur for comfort. “Not like, all the time. We practice magic and talk about our shitty parents.”

“Is that an elf thing?” Gorgug asked, glancing to Fig. 

She shrugged. “I dunno, my elven parents are pretty cool.”

“Good for you,” Zayn deadpanned. Edgar squeaked. 

“Is Gilear cool?” Gorgug wondered aloud.

“So has Adaine been around here recently or not?” Fig pressed on.

“Why do  _ you _ wanna know?”

“She’s our friend,” Gorgug answered.

“You don’t have to know what your friends are doing at all times, you know. Honestly kinda creepy if you do.”

“Creepier than hanging around a graveyard to cast spells and complain?” 

Fig chuckled. “He’s a goth, dude.”

“I’m a  _ ghost _ now too.” Zayn corrected. 

“Right. That’s, like, the most goth you can be.” Zayn clearly agreed with her sentiment. “I think a graveyard is a dope place to hang out.” 

“And it’s a totally different kind of creepy. Like, there’s creepy with cobwebs and shadows and stuff, and then there’s creepy, I-need-to-know-what-people-are-up-to-100%-of-the-time, stalker-y creepy.”

“We don’t need to know where she is all the time,” Gorgug tried to be reassuring. 

“I haven’t seen Adaine in a while,” Zayn answered. “Few days. Maybe a week or so?” Gorgug and Fig shared another look. Zayn noticed. “...What?”

Gorgug frowned. “Adaine’s missing.”

Fig sighed and folded her arms. “None of us have seen or heard from her in a few days, and she’s not answering her crystal.”

Zayn’s expression shifted. His fingers curled a little closer around Edgar.

“We were kinda hoping you’d seen her. Or have any idea where she went.”

Zayn frowned, focusing on his familiar. He sat down on his own gravestone in quiet thought. Fig sank down into a crouch beside him; Gorgug tried to do the same, lost his balance, and ended up just sitting in the grass instead. After a long quiet moment, Zayn sighed and brushed away his bangs. It was pretty obvious that he didn’t know where she was, there was no reason to ask again.

“Do you -- well, okay,” Fig started, trying to find some other way in.

“What did you guys talk about last time you saw her?” Gorgug asked, folding his arms and leaning forward on his knees.

“Normal stuff, I guess. Magic and family and stuff. She was showing me about some new divination stuff she was studying in this big book.”

“What was in the book?” Fig prompted again. Maybe it was the same book Kristen had mentioned?

“Divination stuff. I dunno. I’m more into necromancy, that’s not really my school.” Zayn sighed and tilted his head, trying to recall. “Um, something about the Elven Oracle. History and duties and stuff.” 

“Huh,” Fig said, glancing at Gorgug.

“What kind of family stuff did you talk about?” Gorgug asked, gently.

Zayn shifted. He held Edgar close to him. “Just how they suck.” He didn’t seem poised to go on, but the inquiring pair kept staring at him, so he kept on. “I mean...my parents were assholes. I got away from them as fast as I could. I was -- I was better off on my own.”

“You don’t have to go into it,” Gorgug said, hugging his knees a little tighter. He felt bad for prying, they didn’t need him to go into such details about his lack of family. 

“No, it’s fine. Sorry. They sucked. I’m doing alright now.” Zayn sat up a bit. “It’s cool to talk to someone about it. Adaine and Jawbone have been saying that.” Fig smiled. “And it’s cool, ‘cause like, she gets it, her family sucked too.”

“Yeah, her sister was working with Kalvaxus and tried to literally murder us,” Fig added with a laugh. 

“God, I know! Siblings, right?” 

“Yeah! Yeah. And her parents didn’t do shit when we all got arrested, even though they’re loaded as hell and we were  _ saving the world, _ but they totally busted her sister out when she was trying to  _ end _ it.”

“They just went back to Fallinel,” Gorgug added. “They didn’t call or visit or anything.”

“She mentioned that, yeah. Sucks man.” Zayn exhaled again. “Fucking parents.” 

“Did…” Gorgug started again, carefully. “I dunno. Did she mention anything else? About her family, or about Fallinel?”

Zayn looked pensive and brushed back his bangs again. Edgar squeaked, and returned to the ghost’s shoulder. “She didn’t say it, but I’m pretty sure it was on her mind.”

“What was? Fallinel?” Fig asked. Zayn nodded.

“Maybe she’s homesick,” Gorgug suggested. “...You don’t think she’s going back, right?”

“I dunno. She likes it here. Seems to, anyway.”

“Maybe she misses her family.”

“She  _ hates _ her family.”

“She does,” Zayn chimed in. “But that doesn’t really stop you from thinking about them. Or,” he paused. “Missing them, even.”

Fig and Gorgug looked at each other again. After another quiet moment, Fig stood back up, and offered a hand to Gorgug to help pull him to his feet as well. “Okay, that’s good. Great.”

“Well, I mean, not really,” said Gorgug. Fig elbowed him in the side. “Ow.”

“I mean, thank you for the info.” Fig continued, to Zayn. 

“Yeah, thanks,” Gorgug agreed

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Sure. Thanks for coming out.”

“Mhm.” She lifted a hand and gave him a little wave goodbye, then turned to go, tugging Gorgug’s sleeve gently to get him to come with.

“Guys?” Zayn asked, stopping them. They glanced back at him. “You’ll -- will you let me know when you find her?”

They blinked. Fig smiled a little. “Of course.” He finally smiled back, and waved a little. “See you ‘round, Zayn.” 

“Why do you look so happy?” Gorgug asked as they walked out of the cemetery, side by side and hands in pockets. Fig looked up at him from beside him with a lingering grin. 

“‘Cause I think I know where to look next.” She held her chin up to the sun. “But first, to Basrar’s.”


	3. The Ball and the Owlbear

“..and it’s like, I don’t even know, what  _ is _ an owlbear, right? Who made that up?” Riz asked as they wove through Elmville’s city streets.

“Probably Aguefort,” Fabian answered. He lifted his arms up behind his head and stretched, enjoying the warm summer sun on his face. “That man is pretty insane, you know.” He made a looping motion with a finger near his temple. “I think, if you’re a dude with enough age and experience and money to just start a school where you teach children to beat people up, you can make your mascot some weird shit like an owlbear. You’ve earned that right.”

“I’m just saying, Hellions seems like a  _ way _ cooler mascot name than Owlbears,” Riz shrugged. “More intimidating, anyway.” Very quickly he found himself ducking and dodging as the Sword of Seacaster swung out of its sheath and sliced through the air towards his neck. “Hey!”

“You will _not_ disrespect _my team, The Ball,”_ Fabian warned, glaring the goblin down and pointing menacingly with his father’s sword. Riz stared him back, unimpressed. “The owlbear is no _made-up beast,_ it is a majestic and beautiful and _immensely powerful_ _creature_ than _anyone_ would be _proud_ to name themselves in their image as a warrior and adventurer. You of all people should know.”

“Yeah, yeah, it was scary when it attacked us and all,” Riz said, calmly pushing Fabian’s blade away with a finger. He smirked. “Still looked pretty dumb though. Especially when we cut its fuckin’ head off.”

Fabian grinned back and laughed. “Yeah it did. We kicked that fuckin’ thing’s ass.” He sheathed his sword and the pair kept walking.

“Well, Gorgug kicked its ass,” Riz corrected.

“Don’t make me kick  _ your _ ass.” Fabian paused and glanced around them. “Um, do you know where we are?”

“Um. City center?” Riz stopped and looked around too, then up at the half-elf. “Do...you not know how to get to the post office?”

“Why  _ would _ I?” 

“To...send a letter? Or a package?” 

“I don’t  _ do _ that,” Fabian responded, a little defiant, a little defensive, and a lot animated. 

“You’ve never sent anything in the mail before,” Riz said, not really a question, more just trying to process this new but fascinating bit of information.

“Of course I have.” Fabian stuttered for a moment, gesticulating. “I say ‘I’m going to send this thing to this person’ and I hand the thing to Cathilda and she says ‘alright Master Fabian’ and takes care of it for me. I don’t just  _ go to the post office  _ myself.”

“Ah.”

“Fuck you, I’m rich, I can pay people to do that for me.”

“I know, buddy, I know,” Riz sighed and patted him on the back. “So I’m guessing you have no idea where we are right now and got us lost?”

“No, I have no idea where we are right now and  _ you _ got us lost.”

“I was following you.”

“Oh. I was following you.” A beat. Fabian looked around. “...Yeah. We’re lost.”

“Great. I’ll pull up a map on my crystal,” Riz shook his head and pulled his crystal out of his pocket. Beginning to tap on the screen and open the map function, he looked up and spotted someone across the street coming around the corner of an alley. He pointed at them with a finger and nudged Fabian. “Or you could ask that guy for directions.”

“I’m not asking some rando for directions to the post office,” Fabian shot back, but instinctively hushed his voice. The person had not yet noticed the pair, but looking at them, Fabian felt an odd sense of unease wash through him. Not looking away, his hand found its way to Riz’s chest and pushed him back a bit, gently but firm.

“Hey--” Riz started, cut off by Fabian shushing him.

“See if you can hide somewhere. I don’t like the look of this guy.”

Carefully, Riz glanced back to the mysterious figure, then to Fabian. He pursed his lips and nodded, then darted away, ducking into the shadows behind a dumpster. Fabian watched him go, then looked back in time to notice the figure notice him, and begin crossing the street. He kept walking so as not to arouse suspicion, but felt his hand rest on the hilt of his sword, gripping it, on guard.

“Hail, young man,” the figure called to him. Pretending not to have noticed them before, Fabian stopped and looked over. “If I may have a word for a moment--” 

The approaching figure came to a stop just in front of the young fighter. He was a tall and sleek-looking high elf with an opinion of himself so inflated that even Fabian could tell from here what he thought of himself. Acting casual, Fabian slipped his free hand into the pocket of his letterman. “What’s up?” he responded, nodding his head slightly as teenagers who can’t be bothered with formalities do.

“Pardon me, young man,” the man began again. “But I happened to notice your jacket; are you a student at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy?”

“Um,” Fabian glanced at himself, seeing his familiar red letterman with the large A emblazoned on the chest, and looked back up at the elf. “Yes, I am.”

“Ah, splendid. Now please tell me, do you know of a young woman by the name of Adaine Abernant? I believe she is a fellow student there at the Adventuring Academy. Perhaps you are classmates?”

“Uh,” Fabian started again, mind spinning. He reached one hand up to rub his neck, and wished to some higher power he had any sort of magic to message Riz without speaking, and then remembered who he was speaking to and tried to clear all thoughts from his head entirely, and failed rather miserably. He hoped he put on a decent pokerface in the meanwhile. “I mean, I’ve heard the name. I don’t, uh, I’m not in any wizarding classes.”

“Ah. Yes. More of a barbarian or a rogue, hm?” The elf eyed the sword at Fabian’s hip.

“Fighter, actually,” he corrected, trying to sound more confident than he felt. 

“Smashing. Well, can you--”

“More  _ slashing _ than  _ smashing, _ really,  _ smashing _ is more of a barbarian technique--” 

“Yes, yes, splendid,” the elf interrupted. He seemed not to tolerate Fabian’s teenagisms, but Fabian couldn’t place why. “Perhaps instead of explaining your silly melee attacks you might direct me to the school grounds where I might find your Principal Aguefort and speak with him about young Miss Aber--”

“School’s out for the summer,” Fabian pointed out, trying to contain himself. “No one’s there now. I don’t know where you’d find the principal.”

“Mm. As I understand, you had a rather troublesome year at school, have you not?” 

Fabian blinked, saying nothing.

“I suppose after all that kind of... _ excitement, _ it would take quite some time to clean everything up.”

“Well, it goes a lot quicker when you use magic--”

“You do not have to explain magic to me, my boy,” the elf cut him off again, dropping his tone and switching suddenly from Common to Elvish. He leaned down, uncomfortably close. “You are half-elf, yes? You speak Elvish?” Perturbed, Fabian nodded. In the back of his mind he felt glad to have his eyepatch on right about now. “Good. I will ask you once again -- and I do not recommend you try to make trouble here -- do you know where I can find Miss Abernant or Professor Aguefort?”

“No,” Fabian said, feeling rattled. He shook his head. At least that was the truth. One thing he didn’t need to lie about. “I don’t know where they are. Sorry.” 

The high elf drew in a deep breath and sighed it out, standing back up to his full height. “That is too bad.” He looked about to go.

“But I know where you can find the vice principal,” Fabian said, surprising the both of them a little. 

“...Oh?”

“Yeah. Gilear Faeth. Great guy. Wood elf. You’ll love him. I can put you in touch.”

The high elf seemed pleased to hear this. “That would be splendid. Thank you.”

“Can I, uh -- can I ask who you are?” Fabian said, then stumbled to clarify. “So I can let him know who’s here to speak to him.”

The elf considered this for a moment. “I represent an elite academy for young divinatory wizards. We have heard of the talents of young Miss Abernant and would like to extend to her an invitation.”

“Mm, cool,” Fabian nodded. “I mean, good luck. Really. Aguefort’s pretty cool so you might have some trouble convincing her, but, really, knock it out of the park, man.” Fabian gave a sort of fist bump motion that the high elf did not comprehend and awkwardly ignored. After checking the map on his crystal and giving some (admittedly more convoluted than strictly necessary) bus directions to Seacaster Manor, the man bade Fabian farewell and the young fighter waved him off. 

Once the high elf was safely out of sight, earshot, and reasonable spellcasting range, Fabian turned and glanced to the dumpster. “The Ball?” Riz crept out from the shadows. “Did you catch all that?” The goblin nodded. They both let out big exhales, neither one realizing how tense they’d been, how much breath they’d been holding. “What the  _ FUCK _ was up with that? What the FUCK? What the  _ fuck?” _ Fabian practically shouted, almost doubling over, bending down and bracing himself on his knees. “What the  _ fuck _ was that about?”

“I don’t know man,” Riz answered, slinking out and moving to his side. He patted his friend on the back and looked up the street where the high elf had gone. “But whatever it is, I don’t have a good feeling about it. Creepy, looking for Adaine...probably sent by Fallinel...we gotta tell the others once we talk to Bud Cubby.”

“Fuck the Cubbys. We’re going to Basrar’s.” Fabian stood up and began walking. Much taller than Riz, and walking with much longer strides, Riz had to grab and tug onto his jacket to get him to slow down and stop.

“Wait, no, we should still find him and ask him what he knows.”

“What? No, come on. We said we’d meet up after we got clues. That’s the biggest damn clue I think we’re going to find out here--” 

“We don’t know that yet. Just…” Riz took a deep breath and let it out. 

“So that shady elf guy is also looking for Adaine. That means we should  _ hurry up, _ right?” 

“No. We need more clues. We have a better chance of finding her that way. Let’s get to the post office and then we’ll meet up with the others.”

Fabian squinted his eye shut and lifted his face to the sky, looking conflicted. Finally, after a long beat, he dropped his head and looked to Riz. “Yeah. Right. You lead the way.”

Riz studied his friend’s face for a second, then offered a small, reassuring grin. “Of course.” Checking his crystal map with a glance, he set of walking, with Fabian following close behind. “Y’know, that was good thinking, sending him to Gilear like that.”

Fabian snorted. “Yeah, you like that? Neither of them are going to have any fucking clue what to do with each other.” 

“Kind of a stroke of genius. Nice idea. You’re not gonna text him, are you?”

“Fuck no. I hope he answers the door in his stupid fucking yogurt-stained undershirt again…”


	4. Clerics in Cahoots

“Do you think Jawbone’s gonna be mad at us for snooping around in Adaine’s room?” Kristen asked, rummaging through her friend’s desk drawers. There were a lot of notes scribbled on scraps of paper. Her pencils were meticulously sharp and lined up -- or rather, they  _ were _ before the redhead began her search.

“I don’t think Uncle Jawbone would be super happy about us going through all her stuff, no,” Tracker answered, glancing over from the bed, which felt less immediately invasive to her to investigate. It was neatly made, the covers smoothed and pillows arranged like a display in a home magazine. “Would Adaine?”

“Oh, absolutely. She’d be pissed,” Kristen answered emphatically, pulling the drawer out of the desk entirely with a thunk. Tracker winced. Kristen grinned. The contents of the drawer rattled and a few of the paper scraps flew out and fluttered to the floor. “Oops.”

Tracker moved to crouch and collect the pages, handing them up to Kristen for examination. “What do you think these are? School notes?”

“I feel like Adaine probably has like, organized notebooks for every class, and takes notes in, like, color-coded magic pen ink or whatever. Not,” Kristen took the papers and paged through them. “Scrawlings on scrap. Um,” she continued, furrowing her brow and glancing to her girlfriend. “Do you read Elvish?” Tracker shook her head. Kristen made a face. “Crap.”

“Did she write all her notes in Elvish?” Tracker asked, reaching out and taking a couple of the papers to examine herself. 

Kristen nodded. “Apparently. Shit.” She flipped through the pages again. Some of the pencilled letters smudged on her fingers. “Pretty rude of her to write her personal notes in Elvish,” she added jokingly. “It’s almost like she didn’t _want_ any of us to be able to read any of it.”

“It’s almost like she doesn’t want us snooping around her stuff.” Tracker raised a brow, but was smiling.

“I know, right? It’s like, ‘you’re in Solace, speak Common!’” Kristen continued in a mocking voice. The pair shared a laugh. 

“I thought you knew a bit of Elvish?”

“Nah...I mean, I can speak it a bit. But I can’t read it super well.” She held one of the pages close to her face and squinted at it. “This one definitely says ‘book.’ That’s something. Um, here’s ‘Fallinel’ and ‘stars’ and, uh...I  _ think _ this is some kind of, like, number. Like she wrote down someone’s contact info or something.”

“They don’t use crystals in Fallinel,” Tracker pointed out.

“Oh. Yeah, right.” Kristen looked at it again for a second. “Then I have no clue. Hm.” 

Tracker went back to searching the rest of the room, first checking the drawers in which she kept her clothing neatly folded and organized. Kristen continued to search the desk. In another drawer she did indeed find those meticulously organized and color-coded notebooks from class. It was all wizard stuff she didn’t understand, but at least most of it was in Common. 

Buried in the back of the drawer, Kristen found another notebook, with an older but much nicer looking cover and binding. She pulled it out and turned it over in the light. On its front cover in a very fancy-looking silver font it read  _ Hudol College _ . Written smaller print underneath it read  _ upper school _ ; beneath that was a handwritten signature reading  _ A. Abernant _ . Kristen flipped the book open and looked inside. On the reverse side of the cover in one corner, also handwritten, she could make out Adaine’s signature, right beneath another, which had been scribbled over in dark ink. 

The first several pages of the notebook had clearly been ripped out, though carefully so. The first pages still there were covered inch to inch with notes scrawled with a fine-pointed fountain pen. Kristen had always known Adaine to have very neat penmanship, but it was clear from the look of this writing it was done in haste or frustration. There were several smudges, rendering some words unintelligible even if Kristen were more literate in Elvish. A couple of pages in Kristen noticed, crammed unneatly into a corner of the page, a long note which she could just make out as a spell of some kind; after that page the smudging largely ceased, though the quality of the handwriting itself didn’t improve at all. There were dates dotted into the margins every few pages, from just over a year ago, late spring before freshman year. 

Flipping through the pages of dense notes, one thing caught Kristen’s eye. Tucked between two pages, a square card fell out and into her lap. She picked it up and turned it over. It was a photograph of Adaine, her sister, and her mother: Arianwen, unreadably professional and upright; Aelwyn, smirking confidently in her Hudol upper school uniform; and Adaine beside her, frowning nervously in her middle school one. Her hair was longer in the photo than it was now, she wore large round glasses, and had an unflattering set of braces on her teeth. The three were arranged in front of the main entrance of the Hudol high school building like dolls or the stiff subjects of fancy portraits painted in the Baronies. 

Then the notes reached an abrupt stop. One page was covered inch to inch in dense magic research and suddenly the next simply wasn’t. There was an almost two weeks’ gap between the dates marked here. The writing on this page was much less cramped and scholarly. Looking at it, Kristen remarked it looked much more like a journal entry. She could make out a few more words here and there now, since it didn’t seem to be as frantically written or wizard-specific. Something about Hudol, something about a test, something about the upcoming fall. Kristen noticed more smudges on this page, too. Distinctly different from the last ones. Before it seemed like the ink had been smeared by a moving hand before it was dry; here, it was more like small scattered blotches where the ink went blurry, and underneath on the next page a little had bled through. 

Kristen kept looking. The next page was dated a few days later. The writing more composed, less smudged. There was a lot more space on this page; she’d only written until about halfway down. There were even a few doodles scribbled in pencil near the bottom. Practically jumping off the page at her, Kristen noticed a couple words in particular:  _ Aguefort Adventuring Academy. _

There were a few other entries after that, spread throughout the previous summer. The last entries were dated from the very beginning weeks of freshman year. It looked like there might’ve been some more recent entries that had been ripped out, but she couldn’t be sure. The last third or quarter of the notebook’s pages were fully blank. Kristen let them flip through her thumb until she reached the back cover, which had a neatly folded piece of paper taped to it. Careful not to rip it, she pulled the tape off and unfolded the paper.

She recognized the picture; she was in it. It was taped to the wall above her own bed. It was a picture from just a couple of months ago, on the night of prom. A group selfie in the school gymnasium. They were all dressed up nice and fancy, though by then their clothes had been pretty battered and bloodied. (Why they ever thought it was a good idea to get changed before the battle, Kristen will never wonder.) They’d made Gorgug take the picture, since he had the longest arms. Still, to fit everyone in frame, they’d had to squeeze close all together, pressing sweaty, bloody cheeks and shoulders to one another. A massive scaly foot was just visible behind them, frozen in time even more than the rest of them. Everyone was grinning brightly, despite obvious scrapes and cuts and bruises and tatters. Kristen had her arm around Adaine’s shoulder and held her so close their cheeks touched. They all looked as happy as they’d ever been.

“Did you find something?” Tracker asked. Kristen blinked, snapping out of her reverie and looking up. The werewolf sat on the edge of Adaine’s bed and looked curious.

“Um. Yeah, I think so,” Kristen said, thumbing through some of the pages again. “It’s all in Elvish so I don’t really know what it all says, but I think this is like...her notebook from middle school, and then almost like a diary.”

“Huh. Wow.” Tracker stood and walked over to look over her shoulder. “What’s the picture?”

“Oh. You’ve seen this, actually, I have it too. It’s from prom.” Kristen held it up a bit. “I guess she printed it out and put it in here for safekeeping.”

“That’s kind of sweet actually.”

“Yeah.” Kristen smiled a little and folded the picture again, tucking it back into the notebook. “Did you find anything?” Tracker shook her head. “No spellbook, no orb, no jacket?” Tracker shook her head again. “Dammit. Still no leads.”

“This notebook might be something,” Tracker suggested. “Maybe you should take it to your friends. Someone else has to know Elvish, right?”

Kristen nodded. “Yeah, definitely.” She moved to stand and slide the notebook into her backpack. “I’ll bring it with us over to Basrar’s--”

“Bring what with you?” asked a gruff but kind voice from the hallway. Kristen nearly jumped. Jawbone appeared by the door, poking his head in.

“Uhh,” Kristen started.

“Hey, Uncle Jawbone,” Tracker greeted, grinning at him and hoping he wouldn’t question what they were doing in here or what the mess was about. 

“Yeah, hi Jawbone!” Kristen chirped in echo.

“Heya, kiddos, ‘s good t’ see you again! I didn’t expect you back so soon, thought I wouldn’t see you ‘til dinner,” he returned, smiling warmly. He pushed the door open a bit more; Kristen mentally cursed herself for leaving it open in the first place.

“Yeah, we were kinda tired when we got back, so we just wanted to come right home,” Kristen said to cover them. She hoped he wouldn’t ask what was up. 

“What’re you two doin’ in Adaine’s room?” he asked, glancing around. “Jeez, it’s a real mess in here.”

_ “Fuck,” _ Tracker said under her breath, barely audible. 

“Uh.” Kristen’s mind stalled as she tried to come up with an excuse. “We were just, uh -- looking for her crystal for her, she said she forgot it in her room this morning, but we couldn’t find it,” she finally stammered.

“Her crystal?” Jawbone repeated, scratching his fluffy neck. “Isn’t it sitting right there on her desk?” He extended a claw out in a point. The two girls turned to look and saw Adaine’s crystal sitting plain as day on the edge of the desk, plugged in to charge next to a pill bottle.

“Oh. Yeah, it is,” Kristen chuckled nervously.

_ “How the fuck did we miss that?” _ Tracker whispered.

_ “I have no fucking clue,” _ Kristen whispered back.

Jawbone’s brow furrowed. “What’s, uh, what’s goin’ on here, girls?”

Kristen and Tracker shared a glance, but their silence made it obvious neither knew how to get out of this without telling the truth. “Uncle Jawbone, have you seen Adaine recently?” Tracker asked.

He paused to consider this, frowning. “Uhh, no, I guess I haven’t.” He scratched his fur again. “Not in a few days.”

“We haven’t either,” Kristen admitted. 

“You didn’t notice she was gone?” Tracker asked.

“Huh. Naw, I noticed, I guess I just...huh. I guess I figured she was hangin’ out with you guys or your other pals.” Jawbone stepped into the room. “And I know sometimes she likes to have her privacy, I didn’t wanna bother her if she was busy workin’ on somethin’.”

“No. None of us have heard from her in a while,” Kristen explained. She picked up Adaine’s crystal and checked it. It was set to do not disturb; besides 250+ messages from PrayerChain, there were a few missed calls including a couple from unknown numbers, and few unread texts. “She disappeared without taking her crystal with her.” Jawbone came over; Kristen held the crystal up to him, but he instead reached to pick up the pill bottle. He turned it over in his hands, reading the label and frowning.

“She didn’t take her meds with her either,” he added, rather seriously. Tracker and Kristen shared another uneasy glance.

“Well...we came in here to look for her. Or, I guess, look for clues about where she went,” Kristen went on after a brief quiet. 

“Do you remember the last time you saw her?” Tracker asked, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

Jawbone set the pill bottle down back on the desk. “Yeah, it was…” He exhaled in thought. “I guess it was that mornin’ you two left on your trip.”

“With the pancakes,” Kristen added.

“Yeah, that’s right. I made pancakes.” He nodded. “Yeah, she looked like she’d been up all night workin’ on somethin’ when I went to get her for breakfast. She was readin’ that book of hers all morning.”

“Didn’t she, like, barely eat?”

“Yeah. Yeah. And I did remind her, y’know, don’t forget to take your meds, and they work best when you’ve got some food in your stomach first, but she really had her nose stuck in that book, and I know sometimes she just needs some time and space to work through stuff so I let her be. I don’t think I saw her after that, I was busy most the day and she was gone when I came back.”

“Do you know what book she was reading?” Tracker asked.

Jawbone took a breath and let it out, trying to remember. “‘Fraid not, kiddo. Sorry.”

“Has there been anything strange having to do with her happening around at all lately?”

“Strange? What’d’ya mean?”

Tracker looked to Kristen. She shrugged. “I dunno. Magic stuff? Ominous messages?”

“Weird mail?” Tracker offered. Kristen blinked. 

Jawbone thought about that for a moment. “Mail for Adaine usually gets here kinda late, ‘cause the legal guardian thing is still new and her old house burned down, it gets kinda backed up... We don’t normally get much ‘cept for bills and magazines and stuff usually, but she has gotten a few letters over the past couple weeks, I think.”

“What were they?” Tracker pressed. 

He shrugged. “I dunno, I never looked at ‘em. If it ain’t got my name on the envelope, I figure it ain’t really my business. What’cha got there, kiddo?” he asked Kristen, who meanwhile had taken out her phone and was intently texting. 

“Just thought of something to text Fabian,” she answered, sending whatever she had to send and looking up. “We’re all spread out trying to find her,” she added.

Jawbone nodded a little again. “Well, y’know, good luck, of course. Hope you find her, really. She’s a sweet kid, I’d hate for somethin’ to happen.” 

“Yeah. Thanks,” Kristen exhaled. “Us too.”

“Lemme know if I can help anythin’.”Jawbone started out the door back into the rest of the apartment. Kristen began shoving the notebook into her backpack again, thankful Jawbone hadn’t asked about it, as well as Adaine’s crystal. “Oh, and Kristen?” He added, pausing and turning back.

“Yeah?”

“Take her meds with you, will ya? For if you find her.”

She smiled. “Yeah, sure. Definitely.” She grabbed the pill bottle and dropped it in the bag too. 

“Thanks kiddo. Good luck out there. Let me know how it goes.” Jawbone nodded and smiled before slipping out of the room. From the bed Tracker let out a deep breath.

“‘Sup, babe?” Kristen asked, looking over and beginning to zip up her bag. 

“Nothing. I was just thinking that could’ve gone a whole lot worse.” The werewolf shrugged. The human chuckled and stood, slinging the backpack over her shoulder. She came over and gave her girlfriend a kiss.

“Yeah, we kind of lucked out,” Kristen agreed. “I’m going to meet the others at Basrar’s. Are you coming with?”

“Nah, I need to start unpacking. I’m gonna stay here.”

“Alright. You can keep looking too if you want. Let me know if you find anything?” 

Tracker nodded. “Of course.” Kristen grinned and leaned in for another kiss. 

“Sounds great. I’ll see you later. Love you,” Kristen added, heading out the door.

“Love you too. Good luck, babe!”


	5. Ice Cream Cones and Clues

Fabian and Riz were the second group to arrive at Basrar’s, finding Fig and Gorgug sitting on the curb outside already digging in to newly-ordered treats. Noticing their companions arrive, Fig shot a hand up in the air and waved. 

“Yo,” she called in greeting. 

“Ugh, I thought we beat everyone here,” Fabian grumbled.

“Everyone here yet?” Riz asked, ignoring him. Fig shook her head and motioned inside. 

“Nah, not yet. Grab some ice cream and wait with us out here.”

The pair of boys shared a glance and shrugged, heading inside. A beautiful summer afternoon out, Basrar’s was seeing a brisk business. As Fabian and Riz stood and waited at the counter for their orders, the last expected member of their group came in and joined them.

“Hi guys,” Kristen greeted. “What’re you getting?” She surveyed the options on the menu.

Basrar appeared once again and produced the boys’ ice cream for them. “Ah, I see all the little Bad Kids are here today,” he smiled, noticing Kristen. The three teens shared a glance and a frown. “Welcome back, my friends, what can I get for you?”

“Just a scoop of strawberry, thanks,” Kristen said. Basrar noticed her frown.

“Is something the matter? I can get you a double scoop for no extra,” he offered.

“Sure,” Kristen shrugged. 

Riz sighed. “We’re down a Bad Kid right now,” he explained. “Adaine’s missing. We’re actually meeting here to talk about it.”

Basrar’s expression melted (almost literally) into worry. “Oh no, Miss Adaine,” he fretted. He had a certain fondness for the elf who’d helped him break his ice cream curse. “That is terrible news.”

“We’re gonna find her,” Fabian said with solemn confidence. 

“When you do, will you please give her this?” With a frosty flourish of the hand, Basrar produced a popsicle wrapped in a little plastic package. He handed it to Kristen, along with her double scoop of strawberry ice cream. “As a thank you and a token of goodwill. It is unmelting, you can keep it in your bag without worry.”

Kristen managed another smile and took them both. “Thanks, Basrar. Definitely.” Fabian flicked the coins needed to cover their orders onto the counter and the group turned to meet their friends outside.

“Thank you, young friends! Good luck!” Basrar waved them off.

From the curb, Fig didn’t even look up from her ice cream to greet them when she heard the chime on the door announce their arrival. “How’s it goin’,” she greeted, licking a drip of ice cream off her cone before it reached her hand.

“Hi guys,” Gorgug greeted, looking up. He held a half-empty cup of ice cream in his lap. “It’s good to see you again.” Riz took a seat on the curb beside him; Kristen plopped down cross-legged on the pavement in front of them. 

“Do we really have to sit outside on the ground?” Fabian complained, still standing. 

“Did you see how many people were inside there?” Fig asked, inclining to the building with her head. “Do  _ you  _ wanna try getting a table that’ll fit us all?”

“Sure, I’ll just kick someone else out.”

“Y’know, maybe we shouldn’t talk about how we’re all snooping around for our very important missing friend inside where a hundred people can hear,” Riz countered.

“Ugh, fine.” The Ball had a point. Fabian rolled his eye and squatted down to sit beside Kristen. “So, who’s going first?”

“I’ll go,” Kristen said, setting her cup of ice cream down and unzipping her backpack. “So me and Tracker were snooping around Adaine’s room and found some stuff,” she said, beginning to unzip her backpack and pull out the notebook. “Did you get my text, Fabian?”

“Yeah, I got it. The Ball?” he answered, prompting the goblin to flip open his briefcase. Riz began pulling a small bundle of letters out and fanned them down on the ground in the middle of the group. “We were about to leave when you sent that, so good timing.”

“What is all this stuff?” Gorgug asked, picking up an envelope and turning it over to read it. It was addressed to Adaine Abernant, at her old house.

“So we were talking to Jawbone, and Tracker asked if Adaine had gotten any weird mail or anything, and that made me think, so I texted and asked Fabian to ask Bud Cubby at the post office,” Kristen explained.

“It was a good call, they had some stuff for her.” Riz nodded and began flipping through the envelopes. 

“Isn’t it illegal to go through someone else’s mail?” Gorgug asked.

“Isn’t it also illegal to kill people and steal their stuff?” Fig responded, leaning over him to look at the letters. “We’re adventurers, I think it’s an occupational hazard.”

Gorgug wore a worried frown, unconvinced.  “School’s out for the summer, though.”

“Adaine is missing,” Riz said, using a sharp fingernail to open an envelope and retrieve the letter inside. He had the serious look on his face he got when he was deep at work on a case. “She could be kidnapped or in danger. This is more important.” He unfolded the letter and began to scan through its contents. 

“What’s it say?” Kristen asked, eating a spoonful of ice cream. 

“It’s a letter from Hudol inviting her to re-enroll. No entrance exam required.” He handed the letter to Kristen to read for herself. 

Rummaging through the envelopes, Fig said, “There’s a bunch from Hudol here.” She held one up and squinted at it. “Wait. This one’s not for Adaine.”

“No? Who’s it for?” Kristen asked, leaning over.

“It’s addressed to Arianwen Abernant.” The girls frowned, confused.

“That’s her sister?”

“Her sister’s name is Aelwyn,” Fabian corrected, sipping his milkshake. 

“Oh, right. Who’s Arianwen then?”

“I guess that’s her mom.”

“Why do all their names sound the same?”

Fabian shrugged. “They’re assholes.”

“Adaine’s not an asshole.”

“Her family is,” Gorgug chimed in.

Kristen nodded. “Yeah, fair enough.”

Meanwhile, Fig had opened the envelope and read through the letter. “Huh. Apparently, she was a professor.”

“Who, Arianwen?”

“Yeah.”

“Was?” Gorgug asked.

“This letter says she got fired,” Fig explained. Kristen laughed. “They fired her for straight up disappearing back in the spring. After Aelwyn got busted out of prison and that war started.”

“Oh yeah. Huh. We’re at war.” Kristen thought about this. “Forgot about that.”

“Adaine’s mom worked at Hudol and she still didn’t get in?” Gorgug asked.

“Didn’t she fail the exam?” Fabian pointed out.

“She had a panic attack,” Fig said, still reading the letter. “Not really her fault.”

“Seems kind of messed up that no one helped her, especially if her mom was a teacher there,” Gorgug said.

“They sucked. Adaine’s family was terrible, they didn’t care about her,” Fabian said, gesturing with his milkshake.

Riz frowned, remembering the night of Ostentatia’s party, the aftermath. “Maybe they thought they did?” 

“They just left her here, dude, they don’t care.” 

“They didn’t know she was the Oracle then.”

The group lapsed into silence as they considered this, and shuffled through the rest of the mail. Most were addressed to Adaine, which were also the most recent ones. Some of the older ones were addressed to her family members, some from Hudol for the sisters and mother, one or two from Bastion City for her father that told the Bad Kids little they didn’t already know, only confirming the Abernants had left Solace without a trace when war was declared. 

“Wait, why is everybody still sending a bunch of letters to her old house?” Gorgug asked. “They’ve gotta know by now she lives at Strongtower, right?”

Fig bit off a bit of her ice cream cone and munched on it. “I don’t think they do. Guess there was never a formal address change.”

“I mean, I feel like it’d be obvious since her house burned down.” 

“Aw, fuck.” Fig threw her head back. “I was gonna say we should check there next. I forgot it burned down.”

“Bud Cubby mentioned that’s why they had all this mail backed up,” Riz said. “There’s no new address on record, so anything for Adaine gets delayed, and no one knows where the rest of the family went, so they can’t just forward their mail.”

“Hey, what’s this one?” Gorgug asked, picking up one more envelope. He opened it and unfolded the letter, trying to read it, but finding it incomprehensible. Riz and Fig both leaned in to see. 

“It’s in Elvish. Lemme see,” Fig said, holding the paper with one hand and angling it to see better. “...huh. It’s from some place in Fallinel called the Oracle Academy.”

Riz and Fabian’s eyes widened and they shared a glance. Kristen noticed. “What’s up?” she asked.

“Fabian and I ran into this high elf dude in town on our way to the post office,” Riz explained. “He asked Fabian if he knew where Adaine was.”

“He was real fuckin’ creepy. I think he actually threatened me at one point? I didn’t trust him at  _ all,”  _ Fabian added.

“Yeah. And he said he was from an elite school for divination wizards.”

“Sounds like what we’ve got here,” Fig said, exhaling and dropping the letter back onto the ground between the group. 

“I guess they sent someone to find her when she didn’t answer their letter,” Gorgug reasoned.

“What’s it mean, then?” Kristen asked, pointing at the letter with her spoon.

“What it means,” Riz started, leaning over the letters laid out on the ground before them. He exhaled. “Is that Fallinel doesn’t have Adaine. But we’re also not the only ones looking for her.” He furrowed his brow and sat back on his heels. “We have competition. And a time limit.”


	6. On the Subject of Tracking Elves

“Again, I don’t really think we’re going to find anything there,” Fabian whined. He trailed at the back of the group, shaking his nearly-empty milkshake cup out of nerves he’d never admit to. With the rest of them having finished their ice cream, they set out to the streets of Elmville to continue their search for Adaine. 

“You’re just grumpy about going halfway across town on foot,” Fig shot back to him. He scowled at her; she wasn’t wrong. 

_“No,”_ Fabian protested. “I’m just _saying_ I don’t see how we’re going to find anything _useful_ at a house that’s been nothing but a _pile of charcoal_ for _three months._ Or why I couldn’t take the Hangman over.”

“You got a better idea where to look? I’ll be happy to hear it,” Fig answered, a little snarky, leading the way. Checking out the old Abernant house had been her idea after all, and no one else had offered an alternative. 

“Also, if someone else in town is trying to find her too, it’s not a good idea to take the Hangman,” Riz added, staring at a crystal and tapping at its screen sporadically. “We can’t all fit and it’s loud, it’ll tip anybody off that we’re coming.” Something flashed across the crystal screen and he scowled, flashing a set of sharp goblin teeth. 

“Having trouble?” asked Kristen, who walked beside him and peered down to see. 

“I can’t crack the passcode.” Riz sighed. This was not his crystal, his own was in his pocket; this was Adaine’s. When they’d left Basrar’s, Gorgug had commented again how he wished they could just call her and see what was up, it was so weird for her to not answer her texts, which reminded Kristen she’d grabbed the wizard’s crystal from her desk. She’d pulled the crystal out of her bag, saying _Well, here’s why she hasn’t been responding._ Riz’s eyes had gone wide and he almost immediately swiped it from her hand to check it out. “Does anybody have any suggestions?”

“Thebadkidz?” Fig suggested, glancing back.

Riz shook his head. “Tried that.”

“With a z?”

Riz pursed his lips and typed something on the crystal. He sneered. “Aaaghh, come _on!”_ he growled, hand curling into a fist around the crystal, looking almost about to throw it. Kristen put a hand on his shoulder to calm him. 

“What? No luck?” Fig asked, concerned.

“Stupid thing locked me out! Too many wrong guesses.” He huffed, trying to vent out some of his frustration and anger without exploding on them. “It’s an hour until we can try again.” 

“Damn,” Fig exhaled. She looked down and kicked a stone on the ground. It skipped along the sidewalk in front of them. 

“Kristen, did you find anything else when you were looking in Adaine’s room?” Gorgug asked.

“Oh! Yeah, I did!” Kristen swung her backpack off and tugged the zipper open. “The crystal was left on her desk and so was her meds.” She pulled the pill bottle out a little and shook it, rattling the pills inside. “Jawbone asked me to take it with us in case we found her.”

“She just left her meds on her desk?” Gorgug repeated, taking the bottle gingerly and turning it around in his fingers. Kristen nodded, frowning. 

“I guess for whatever reason she left, she left in a hurry and didn’t grab them or her crystal,” Fig suggested.

“Did she leave her glasses too?” Riz asked. Gorgug handed Kristen back the bottle.

“I didn’t see them, so I think she has those,” she answered, stuffing the bottle back in her bag and continuing to rummage.

“Oh,” Gorgug commented. “That’s weird.”

“Really weird,” Fabian agreed. 

“Did you find that book you said she was reading before she disappeared?” Riz asked, pocketing Adaine’s crystal and looking up to the cleric. 

“Oh! Zayn mentioned a book,” Gorgug chimed in as Kristen searched for something in her backpack and wondered to herself why she didn’t keep it more organized. “He said she brought it the last time they hung out.”

“What was it?” Riz’s ears perked up. 

“Something about the Oracle, he said,” Fig jumped in. “Like a job description or something. Maybe it was spells, I’m not sure.”

“He didn’t really elaborate,” Gorgug added.

“Do you think it was the same book, Kristen?” Riz turned to the cleric. 

“I dunno. I asked Jawbone about it, but he didn’t know what it was about either. And I didn’t find any weird tomes when I was snooping. But,” she started, finally finding what she was searching for. She produced the Hudol notebook from her backpack and held it out to her friends. “I did find this.”

“What’s that?” Fabian asked, squinting at it. 

Fig snorted. “Do you not know what a notebook looks like? Do you not take notes in class?”

He scowled in return “Not really necessary in _fighter classes,_ we don’t learn that _nerd shit._ We learn how to _fight.”_ Fig started to laugh. “Like _you_ take notes in _bard class.”_

“I take barbarian classes.” Fig stuck out her tongue. 

“Guys, can we focus?” Riz said impatiently.

“It’s a notebook from Hudol,” Kristen explained, handing it to Riz, who looked very interested. “I don’t think it’s just school stuff though.”

“You don’t think?” Gorgug asked, tilting his head. 

Kristen shrugged. “It’s all in Elvish. Apparently, I’m piss poor at reading Elvish, so I don't really know what it says. But I figured someone else of us could.”

“I can’t,” Gorgug frowned down at the notebook as Riz began to flip through its pages.

“I can,” Fig offered.

“Me as well,” Fabian jumped in, apparently eager to contribute now. 

“It’s not all Elvish,” Riz stated, his eyes already darting through the notebook and scanning the text from page to page. He had stopped walking to concentrate and the others gathered around him. “A bunch of this is High Arcana.”

“Oh,” Kristen pursed her lips. “Does anyone else know High Arcana?” They all shook their heads. “Dammit.”

“I don’t think it matters,” Riz said, flipping through some of the early pages. “This is definitely a school notebook, anything in High Arcana is probably spell research that won’t help us anyway.”

“I think she used it as a notebook before she went to Aguefort,” Kristen said. “Look at the cover.”

Keeping his place in the book with his thumb, Riz flipped the cover back. “A. Abernant,” Gorgug read aloud.

“Hey, that’s not her signature,” Fig pointed out. “Her handwriting is different. Look,” she reached over and flipped the cover open to the notes on the first page. 

“Huh. Yeah,” Riz nodded in agreement. 

“Look. She wrote it here. It’s different,” Fig said, pointing to the name written in the corner on the inside cover. “What’s this scribbled out?”

Riz squinted, just barely making it out. “It said ‘Aelwyn Abernant.’”

“Oh, it’s a hand-me-down. That makes sense.” Kristen reasoned. Fabian gave her an odd look; she chuckled. “Right, you guys don’t have siblings. It must’ve been her sister’s first, and then she was done with it, so Adaine must’ve got it secondhand.”

“She didn’t just buy her own notebook?” Fabian seemed not to get the concept.

“I mean, her parents _were_ assholes,” Gorgug reminded him.

“There’s pages here ripped out,” Riz noticed the remnants of ripped paper in the spiral binding. “Probably whatever Aelwyn had written in it before got ripped out. The oldest date is from over a year ago.”

“I bet she used this to study for her Hudol exam,” Fig said.

“What’s so interesting about a notebook full of test prep? How is that going to help us?” Fabian asked, sounding slightly impatient. 

“That’s not all that’s there, keep going,” Kristen said. Riz flipped back to where he’d left off. A square of paper fluttered out and to the ground; Fig bent down to grab it.

“Aw, hey, look, little Adaine,” she cooed at the photo. Gorgug and Fabian leaned in to see.

“Aw,” Gorgug smiled a little. 

“Jeez. They all look like they’ve got sticks up their asses,” Fabian commented. Fig gave him a look. “What? They _do.”_

“There’s also our prom pic taped in the back of the book,” Kristen added. 

“Why would she keep photos in a notebook?” Gorgug wondered aloud.

“‘Cause it’s not just a notebook,” Riz answered. “It’s a diary.” 

“Oh?” Fig leaned over to look. Riz had flipped past the notes and now took his time, carefully reading what was written.

“Yeah, I thought it was some kind of journal,” Kristen said. She took the photo back from Fig and slipped it back between the earlier pages. “What’s it say? My Elvish is pretty bad, I only got a few words here or there.”

Riz frowned. It wasn’t just the frown of concentration this time; something upset him. “This page...she wrote about her panic attack. How she failed her exam.”

“Oh.” The group felt uneasy. “Oh.” Riz exhaled quietly and flipped the page.

“I don’t know if we should be reading this,” Gorgug said, after a short quiet. “Seems really personal.” As intent as he was on uncovering clues and finding their friend, Riz felt a little twinge of guilt; he was inclined to agree. 

“Well...hey, look here.” Fig reached in and pointed to something on the page. “Look. She wrote about getting into Aguefort.” She took the notebook from Riz and paged through it herself. “And here, look. It’s from the beginning of the school year. She mentioned us.”

“She did?” Gorgug asked, peering over at the paper, the words indecipherable to him.

“What’s it say?” Fabian said, unable to get a good look from his position. 

“‘I’ve got to find those other bad kids again,’” Fig read aloud. “‘I think they might be able to help me.’”

The five friends lapsed into quiet, save for a very small “aw” from Gorgug. After a minute, Fig carefully closed the notebook and handed it back to Kristen, who slipped it safely back into her bag. Slowly, they resumed walking.

“So,” Gorgug broke the silence after a while. “What now?” 

“We keep going, I guess,” Fig shrugged, marching along. 

“Go where?” Fabian asked, chewing on the end of his milkshake straw. 

“The Abernant house.”

Fabian groaned. “Come on.”

“Hey, if you have any better ideas, I’m all ears.”

Fabian pursed his lips. “Hudol?”

“You know that’s even farther, right?”

“Fuck off,” Fabian grumbled.

“I don’t think we need to fight about it,” Gorgug said, fidgeting with his hands. Riz sighed and rubbed his face. 

“Look, we’re almost there. See?” Fig shot a glance behind at the half-elf and pointed ahead to a nice looking neighborhood. They followed up the road to the end of a cul-de-sac that once led to a large, fancy house; now, however, only stood a sorry pile of charred rubble, surrounded by some fluorescent caution tape staked around the wreckage. “Well, here we are.”

“Looks real nice. Thanks for dragging us all the way out here to see an extinguished campfire,” Fabian deadpanned. Fig glared and flipped him off.

“Do you think we’ll find any clues here?” Gorgug asked. “It looks pretty unsalvageable to me.”

“Only one way to find out,” Riz exhaled, then ducked under the tape and began to root around in the debris. A cloud of soot and dust kicked up into the air around him. Gorgug glanced around nervously. Still wanting to help, though, he noticed the mailbox standing lonely at the end of the driveway and began to investigate it. Kristen meanwhile shrugged her backpack off and set it down on the ground. She crouched down and once again began rifling through it for something. 

“You really gotta organize that thing, girl,” Fig commented, hands in her pockets. 

“Yeah, I know, I know. Here it is.” Kristen pulled out her copy of _On the Subject of World Religions_ and stood, beginning to page through it. She looked up and held out a hand, muttering something. In a moment, her hand began to glow with a gentle golden light as she cast Detect Good and Evil. 

“Gettin’ anything?” Fig asked. Kristen shook her head. Fig pursed her lips and sighed, then looked out to Gorgug. “How ‘bout you, buddy?” 

“Not really,” Gorgug called, hunching over the mailbox. “There’s just some old bills in here.” He pulled out a wad of paper and held it up a bit.

“‘S more than nothing. Fabian?” 

“What?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Are you gonna help at all?”

“Are you?”

“It was my idea to come here in the first place.”

“And look what good it’s got us,” he raised his voice and began gesturing with his hands and empty milkshake cup. “The Ball is covered in soot and Gorgug just has some fuckin’ useless papers.”

Fig’s face bunched up, displeased. “We only just got here.” She shot a look over to the goblin. “Anything yet?”

Riz poked a soot-stained face up and shook his head back at her. “No, it looks like it’s all pretty far gone.”

“I don’t think anybody was home when they lit the place up,” Kristen said, hand still glowing and eyes still focused forward in concentration. “So no one did anything about it.”

Fabian huffed. “Great. Well. That’s just. Great.” 

Fig turned and glared at him. “Hey, at least we’re _trying,”_ she started, taking a step towards him and pointing a sharp fingernail at him. “I don’t hear _you_ coming up with any _brilliant ideas.”_

“You want an idea?” He shot back. “Here’s an idea: why don’t one of you lot cast some fucking spell to find her, huh? How do you expect to find a fucking _missing wizard_ without _magic!?”_

“Hey, I’m--” Kristen started, glancing over worriedly. Fig exploded before she could finish.

“Neither of us knows Locate Creature, okay!?” She shouted at him, horns intimidatingly close to his face. He glared down his nose, her fiery brown eyes connecting with his steely grey and eyepatch. “If we _could_ I’d _hardly think_ any of us would even _be in this mess right now!”_

_“GUYS!”_ Riz roared, appearing between the two of them and shoving them apart, leaving a sooty handprint on each of their chests. They immediately lunged forward at each other again, but with Kristen grabbing Fig and Gorgug grabbing Fabian, they managed to keep the two hotheads from clashing again. “ENOUGH! Shouting at each other isn’t going to do any fucking good so just STOP.”

“Let _go_ of me,” Fabian growled, straining against Gorgug, who held fast.

“Lemme at ‘im!” Fig shouted, lunging forward as best she could with Kristen dragging her back.

“What’s gotten _into_ you two?” Gorgug asked, grunting with effort. 

“Whatever it is, you need to fucking cut it out,” Riz demanded, a sharp-toothed scowl on his face. “Fighting each other isn’t going to help us find Adaine.”

“Neither is wasting our time _here!”_ Fabian spat.

“It’s not _hurting_ anything!” Fig shot back. 

“Hey, hey!” Kristen tried to wrap her arms around Fig to hold her back more successfully. Gorgug did the same with Fabian, ultimately electing to just lift him fully off the ground until he quit squirming.

“Gorgug!!”

“Stop yelling! Stop it!”

The fighter and the bard began to cool down, but still glared at each other from across the driveway. Riz let out a sharp, heavy exhale. “Look. We’re all tired and stressed from running around looking for clues,” he started, holding his palms together in front of his face. He seemed to be struggling to maintain his own composure right now. “We’re all super on edge and taking it out on each other. But our friend is missing and we don’t have any idea what happened. We barely have any clues, and she could be in danger.”

“We’re all just fucking...stressed out right now,” Kristen added. Fig sighed and slumped her shoulders, hung her head. Gorgug let go of Fabian, who looked aside at the grass and pursed his lips in a frown. 

“We all want to find her. But we need to work _together,”_ Riz repeated, speaking slowly and deliberately. He had a look of deep, almost pleading concern on his face. "That means no fighting each other."

Fabian sighed. “Yeah. You’re right, The Ball. Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Yeah.” Fig breathed. “Sorry.”

Gorgug scratched his head. “It sucks that Adaine is missing,” he said. The others solemnly agreed. “I feel like if anybody is gonna disappear, she’s the worst choice. She’s the one with all the magic. Without spells it’s really hard to just track her down.”

Kristen’s head shot up, eyes wide. “Wait, what?”

“What?”

“Say that again.”

“Say what again?” Gorgug asked.

“That thing! That -- that thing you just said!” Kristen gestured with her hands frantically, an idea on the tip of her tongue, almost within grasp but just out of reach. The others looked on in confusion.

“Without spells it’s really hard to track her d--” Gorgug started to repeat.

_“TRACKER!!”_ Kristen shouted at the top of her lungs. “YES!!” She immediately pulled her crystal from her pocket and opened her contacts to make a call. 

“What??” Fabian wheezed.

“Oh my god,” Fig said, a smile creeping over her lips.

“Ohh,” Gorgug said. “Ohhhh. I can’t believe we didn’t think of that before.”

Riz blinked, dumbfounded. “Huh. Me neither.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pay no attention to the fact that this chapter is nearly twice the length of the last. i dont know what consistency is


	7. Breaking First, Entering Later

The five Bad Kids stood waiting in front of the former Abernant house, almost vibrating with nerves. A few paces off, Kristen finished calling her girlfriend just as Fabian finished telepathically summoning the Hangman. From elsewhere in Elmville, they heard first the revving of a demonic engine, followed a moment later by a distant howl. 

Pocketing her crystal, Kristen came over to rejoin the group, bouncing from leg to leg, unable to stand still. “Okay, I just called Tracker, she’s got one of Adaine’s pajama shirts with her and she’s following her scent trail now. She said to follow her howl.”

“The Hangman’s on its way,” Fabian added, a steely, focused look in his eye. Now was the time for speed, not stealth. “But we can’t all fit.”

“I can take my skateboard,” Fig said. “Riz, I can carry you with me, so Gorgug and Kristen can ride with Fabian.”

Crouching over his briefcase of holding, Riz pulled out a coiled length of rope. “We can tow behind the Hangman.” 

“Smart,” Fig said. Riz handed her one end of the rope and began to fashion the other end into a makeshift handle.

“Do you think we’ll really be able to find her?” Gorgug asked, looking off into the distance. Another howl echoed on the wind. 

“I hope so,” Riz answered.

“Tracker can find her. I’m sure.” Kristen nodded confidently, also looking out down the road. 

“I can’t _believe_ we didn’t think of this sooner,” Fig commented.

“Yeah,” Riz exhaled. The rest of them nodded and mumbled “yeahs” in agreement. “We’re pretty much idiots.”

A couple minutes later, short as always but feeling like an eternity and a half, the Handman roared up the quiet cul-de-sac and skidded to a halt in front of the teens. _“Sire,”_ it rumbled to its master, who grinned. _“I passed a large wolf running across town on my way here.”_

“Hangman!” he exclaimed. “Fantastic!” Riz swapped ends of rope with Fig and darted around to tie it to the motorcycle. Kristen shrugged her backpack on, then jumped on Gorgug’s back with a grin. The half-orc climbed onto the motorcycle as Fig dropped her skateboard to the pavement with a clatter. 

_“Sire, the half-orc and the human girl are climbing on, and the goblin is tying a rope to my chassis. You must not allow this, Sire.”_

“It’s cool, Hangman,” Fabian assured the bike, hopping on and curling his fingers around the handles. Riz finished tying the rope and hopped up onto Fig’s back, wrapping his arms tight around her. “We’re kind of in a hurry.”

_“Where to, Master?”_ The Hangman’s engine rumbled, raring to go.

“Follow that wolf, Hangman! Time is of the essence!” He pulled the kickstand up with his foot and revved the engine. Gorgug leaned forward and held onto Fabian for security; Kristen tightened her own grip on Gorgug as well.

_“Aye-aye, Captain!”_ Flame roiled to life in the motorcycle’s skull headpiece and black smoke spat out of its exhaust pipes. The Hangman roared into motion, tearing off down the road and across town, towing the tiefling and goblin behind and closing in on the decreasingly distant howling with every passing moment.

They raced through the streets of Elmville with reckless abandon, paying little heed to traffic. Fig whooped and hollered from the skateboard, towed along like a terrestrial wakeboarder (not that anyone could hear her very well over the terrified shouting of half her party mates and the roar of the motorcycle.) Rounding sharp corners sent them arcing wide, it was probably a miracle they didn’t crash into street signs or trash cans or pedestrians on their way. With luck, however, they avoided major collisions, though they did attract some unwanted attention in the form of startled and disapproving shouting and honking from other drivers. _Aguefort teens. You can never keep them under control._

Another howl called out, closer than ever this time. The Hangman surged round a corner and up a long drive to a very impressive and familiar looking building. From the street they swerved into a large empty parking lot, then pulled a tight U-turn and skidded to a stop beside the curb. The force of the turn whipped the skateboard around, smacking into the curbside and sending its riders flying and tumbling into the grass with a scream. The Hangman rumbled and hissed as the engine cooled. Fabian, Gorgug, and Kristen looked up and around.

“This it?” Fabian asked.

Kristen’s eyes lit up, spying the large wolf sitting up on the lawn, in front of the entrance steps. It was panting and had a shirt draped over its back; when the motorcycle pulled up, its tail started wagging. “This is it!” Kristen shouted, hopping off of Gorgug and the Hangman and dashed over to the wolf, which stood up to greet her. Kristen immediately began cooing, rubbing the wolf’s ears and kissing its forehead.

“Huh,” Gorgug said, standing up. “Who would’ve guessed she’d be here?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck and reading the large sign over the building entrance: _Aguefort Adventuring Academy._

Fabian got up and stood beside him, hands in the pockets of his jacket. He chuckled. “Ha. I told that elf fucker that no one was here ‘cause it’s summer.” He glanced aside, seeing Fig rolling over on the grass. “You good?”

“Ow,” she groaned, lying on her back. 

“Where’s The Ball?” Fig lifted an arm into the air and pointed towards the bushes flanking the entrance steps, where a small goblin was currently hunched over and evacuating the contents of his stomach. “Ah.” Fabian heard Fig chuckle from the ground before picking herself up and brushing away dirt and grass. Riz, who had apparently heard him, reached a hand behind him to flip Fabian off.

Finishing his business with the bushes, Riz stood and wiped his mouth before coming over. He was always green, but there was a plainly sick look to his face still. “Couldn’t have just pulled to a stop the normal way, huh?” he asked Fabian, narrowing his eyes and raising a brow. 

Fabian laughed. “Of course not.” Riz scrunched up his face. “Hey, it was your idea to tow behind. And we didn’t want to waste time.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Riz sighed, brushing grass from his shirt and adjusting his hat. Fig came over and joined them, the two of them already looking a little scraped up and stained from the tumble. “We just don’t know what we’re going up against here, it’s not very smart to go in already missing hit points.” More composed now, and with the wave of nausea subsided, he turned and looked up at the school building like the rest of them. “We’re sure she’s here?” 

“This is it,” Tracker said. The group glanced over and noticed the wolf had transformed back into her human form, Kristen with an arm draped around her. “I followed her scent from this shirt, she’s definitely somewhere in the building.” She held it up a little, an oversized Yes! t shirt gifted to Adaine from Kristen and used as sleepwear. 

Kristen pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re the best, babe.” Tracker’s nose scrunched up as she smiled and returned the gesture.

“Is that why they call you Tracker?” Gorgug asked.

“Ha, you’d think, right?” she laughed, barely answering. “Do you guys need some heals?” she asked, changing the subject and glancing to Fig and Riz.

“I’m not beat up too bad,” Fig answered, glancing down at the goblin. “Riz?”

“I’m not either, but it’s not a bad idea.”

“I’ll just top you up before you go in,” Tracker offered, holding up a hand. She muttered a spell and a shimmery purple and silver mist of light began to glow from her fingertips. Riz first felt his budding bruises fading away and his scrapes mending themselves, followed by Fig. “How’s that?” Fig shot Tracker a grin and a thumbs up.

“Are you gonna come in and look with us?” Gorgug asked. 

“It might not be a bad idea to bring an extra caster along,” Fig added.

“I guess I could,” Tracker said, frowning in thought. “Do you guys have a plan?” All heads turned to Riz, who was busy squinting intently at the door of the school. 

“The door’s almost definitely locked,” he began, starting up the steps. The group trailed him. “But we can pick the lock, or break it down. Worst case, I can Misty Step inside and open it for the rest of us.” At the top of the steps, he walked up to the doors and tugged on them. Locked, as expected. “If the school wards allow teleportation, anyway. Even still we’ll probably have a security system to deal with.” He craned his head up, eyes scanning for any security crystals set up to keep watch over the campus. “Once we’re inside, we should split up to look around. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and it’ll be easier if we spread out and sweep. We all have our crystals?” he asked, glancing back at his companions. They all nodded. “Good, we’ll stay on call the whole time. That way if anything goes down we’ll all know and can come to help.”

“Um,” Tracker said, holding up a hand. “I don’t go here. I don’t know my way around. I’ll probably get lost.” Whether it was for aesthetic, combat readiness and adventuring experience, or the general lack of foresight on the part of a somewhat insane old man, Aguefort had not designed his school to have the most straightforward and practical layout.

“You can come with me if you want, babe,” Kristen offered, grinning at her girlfriend.

“Love you two, really, but maybe the two clerics should split up for this one. Just in case,” Fig pointed out. 

Kristen pouted, but she had to admit she had a point. “Yeah, alright.”

“Why don’t I stay out here?” Tracker offered. “I can patrol the grounds and make sure nobody comes in or out. And you guys will know where to find me if something goes wrong.”

“Sounds good,” said Fabian, curling his fingers around the hilt of his sword. “Are we ready?”

“Wait, wait, before we do anything,” Kristen said, holding up her hands. All eyes turned to her. “Before we go, I’d like to say a few words.”

The Bad Kids groaned and rolled their eyes. Tracker looked confused. “What?”

Fabian pinched the bridge of his nose. “We don’t have time for this.” 

“No, no, I’ll be quick! It’ll be good this time!” Kristen assured them, unable to keep from giggling.

“Multitask,” Fig said, folding her arms and smirking at Riz. He nodded and opened his briefcase, rooting around for lockpicking tools. “Go ahead, Kris.”

“Alright, cool, so,” Kristen clapped her hands together and began. “Y’know, we’ve all been through a lot together…”

Riz meanwhile worked on picking the lock. Normally, he felt like he was a pretty good lockpick, but whether it was distraction from Kristen’s speech, his nerves, or something strange with the lock itself, he had trouble getting it to work. He gritted his teeth and grumbled at it. 

“...and it’s like, I would probably still be at Harvest Camp literally right now if I hadn’t met you guys last year…” Kristen went on. 

Gorgug leaned down to Riz. “How’s it going?” he asked.

“Rrggh,” Riz growled in frustration. “I can’t seem to get it.”

“Can I help at all?” Gorgug offered.

“You can try,” Riz exhaled. “Pull on the handle for me, like this.”

“...and now I’m _gay_ and I have a _girlfriend_ and we’re _living together_ and it’s like, _WOW,_ y’know?” Kristen continued. Tracker sported an embarrassed smile, watching her girlfriend flounder for words. Fig watched on in amusement. Fabian had his face in his hand. “It’s like, a LOT can change in a year! ‘Cause Tracker left _her_ shitty parents, and I left _my_ shitty parents, and Adaine left _her_ shitty parents…”

Tracker caught Fig’s eye. The tiefling subtly pointed at her, and she heard her voice in her head.

_“How’s it going?”_ Fig asked through a Message cantrip.

Tracker glanced sideways at her girlfriend. _“Are we waiting for something specific?”_

Fig shrugged, smiling. _“It’ll get inspiring soon, probably.”_

“...and it’s like, we’re a TEAM now, you can’t just _abandon_ your _team members…”_

_“Does this happen a lot?”_ Tracker asked, raising a brow.

Fig chuckled. _“Welcome to the Bad Kids.”_

“...I mean, she _did_ leave us, which is like, o _kay,_ but maybe she didn’t mean to! So we’re looking for her now…!”

“Argh,” Riz growled again, throwing the lockpicking tools to the ground in anger. “This isn’t working. We’re trying plan B.” He grabbed the hilt of the Sword of Shadows and moved to unsheath it. Fabian stopped him, grabbing his arm. “Hey--”

“Don’t waste it,” he said, stepping forward and eyeing the goblin. Riz looked determined. “You can only Misty Step once, right? We might need it later,” Fabian went on. Riz drew a breath and put the sword away.

“Right,” Riz replied. 

Fabian took his hand back and cracked his knuckles, stretched his neck, rolled his shoulders. “We’re gonna do this the old fashioned way. Move aside.”

“...’cause _I_ never had friends like that growing up, I pretty much only knew other humans, and I haven’t met a _single_ other regular human since coming here…” Kristen orated on, her speech now punctuated by a loud _crash, thud,_ and _groan_ as Fabian took a running start and slammed his shoulder into the door. It budged only slightly, but gave no indication of breaking otherwise.

“Oww,” Fabian whined, rubbing his shoulder where he’d collided.

“Fabian,” Riz said, reaching to grab his arm. Fabian pulled away and steeled himself again. He sniffed, stepped back, and raced forward, slamming into the door a second time, to the same effect. Tracker watched and winced. Fig snorted.

“Um,” said Gorgug. 

“Stupid fucking door,” Fabian grumbled, picking himself up once again.

“Fabian.” Riz grabbed the half-elf’s arm and tugged to get his attention.

_“What,_ The Ball?” Riz simply pointed a clawed finger to Gorgug, who was patiently standing with his axe out and ready. Fabian pursed his lips. “Ugh, fine.” 

“...and I don’t know what I’m doing! Like, ever! Especially not right now!” Kristen laughed, still talking as the commotion went on around her. “But I do know that I love you guys…”

They all stepped back to give the half-orc space. He inhaled, reared his axe back, steeled himself, and with an exhale, stepped forward and swung it in a smooth, forceful arc into the door. The wood crunched as it splintered and dented.

“...and you’re like, my best friends…”

The door was sturdy, but Gorgug could tell it wouldn’t hold forever. He grunted as he pulled the axe back out and went for another swing. Heave. _Crunch._

“...and we’re a goddamn _adventuring party,_ so nothing’s gonna be able to keep us apart or keep us down for long…”

Another swing. Heave. _Crunch._

“...so I guess the point is, like, we can do this…”

Heave. _Crunch._

“...I believe in us, and by Yes!, we’re gonna get this done, amen.”

With one final swing, the door smashed inwards with a spray of splinters and wood chunks, just as Kristen finished her Inspiring Speech. The Bad Kids all felt a warm rush through their veins as they gained their temporary hit points. Gorgug picked up his axe and glanced at his companions. Everyone shared a look with one another.

“Well,” Riz said, breaking the silence. He turned to look inside and drew in another breath. “No time to lose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i fully forgot to name this chapter when i first put it up nobody look at me


	8. Gloom and Stalking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you spend many years of your life going to the same weird little school only to later use your intimate knowledge of said schools peculiar layout as a direct model for the fictional setting of your fanfiction or are you normal

Riz pulled at the splinters of wood around the cracked hole in the door and hopped through first. The front lobby was lit an eerie warm orange by the late afternoon light streaming in from high windows, but the windowless hallways that extended back into the building were dark and shadowed. Motes of dust floated through the air lazily and caught in the beams of light. His eyes darted around, scanning for clues of any kind. Nothing down that hallway, nothing down that way, no one at the front desk, nothing up--

He heard a noise to his right and whirled around, gun out and cocked, finger on the trigger. 

“Woah!” Fig exclaimed, clamping a hand on his shoulder and pulling him back. “Don’t shoot yet,” she said, hushed. “Someone could hear.”

“What is it?” Kristen asked, climbing in next, followed by Fabian and Gorgug last, who had to chip away a few more splinters to fit. 

Gun still pointed, Riz and Fig both tried to see what was up. The sound came again, very quiet. Riz tensed again; Fig squeezed his shoulder and squinted. The third time they heard it, she spotted what it was: a drip of water falling from the ceiling into a small puddle on the floor.

“Hey, relax,” she said, giving the goblin a gentle nudge. “It’s just some water dripping.” She nodded up to the puddle. Riz exhaled and lowered his gun. Fig felt his shoulders relax.

“Water?” Fabian repeated, furrowing a brow. “From what? It hasn’t rained recently.”

Kristen walked over and held out a hand, catching the next drop in her palm. “It’s cold.”

Riz squinted, looking up. “There,” he pointed up to the ceiling, above Kristen. The others craned their heads to look, spying what looked like a crystal security camera. The lights usually blinking on its side were dark and every few seconds it dripped water again. 

“That’s not normal,” Gorgug commented.

“What happened to it?” Fig asked.

“Frost Bolt,” Riz concluded, bending down and dipping a finger in the small puddle. “Someone froze it to disable it. Didn’t want to be spotted.”

“Well it’s a good thing you didn’t shoot to let them know we’re here,” Fabian said, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. 

“I mean, we did just break down the door,” Gorgug pointed out. “That’s pretty loud.” 

Riz sighed and lifted a hand, rubbed his face, adjusted his hat. “Yeah, maybe not the best move. Okay. We should be stealthy from here on out. Who’s going where?”

“I’ll check the locker rooms,” Fabian offered. 

“Check the fighter and barbarian classrooms on your way. Gym after. Fig?”

“Yeah, tell me if you see anything shady about Porter,” Fig nodded to Fabian with a grin before turning back to Riz. “I’ll head to the band room in the back. Sweep the auditorium while I’m at it.”

Riz nodded. Gorgug raised a hand. “I can take the second floor,” he offered.

“Keep a close eye out in the wizarding wing. Take the roof when you’re done. Kristen?”

“I can check the library,” Kristen offered. “I feel like if there’s anywhere Adaine would be, it’s there.”

“Okay. I want to check the offices first, I’ll head to the cafeteria after. That’s a good spread. We good?” Riz asked, making eye contact with each companion one by one for confirmation. They nodded. “Okay. Good luck, guys.”

“Answer those,” Fig said as simultaneously everyone else’s pockets began to vibrate or ring. “We’ll keep in touch.” Gorgug connected his crystal to his headphones, while the others just put them on speaker. Nodding one last time to each other, the group split and headed down the winding halls of the Aguefort Adventuring Academy. 

Gorgug and Fig headed down the hallway leading directly back from the lobby. Kristen went right, beelining for the library. Riz darted down the hallway to the left, where most of the offices were. Fabian shouldered open the door to the stairwell off the lobby and descended a flight. The scuffing of his sneakers echoed eerily off the silent walls. It occurred to Fabian that he’d never really been here before when it was empty and quiet like this, only ever when there were other students or teachers or awful monsters of some kind around. He almost found himself wishing some monster would pop out, just for something to break the tension, just for an excuse to draw his blade and take initiative, just so it wasn’t so damn _quiet._

“It’s weirdly fuckin’ quiet in here,” he commented, holding his crystal up to his lips, remembering that he was on call with the slightest bit of relief. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Kristen said. Fabian could hear what sounded like the jiggling of a door handle and the clinking of thieves’ tools over the line as Riz picked a lock somewhere. 

“No one’s around since it’s summer break,” Gorgug commented.

“Well, _some_ one’s around,” Fig pointed out. “That’s why we’re here.”

“We don’t know if anyone else is,” Riz said. There was a soft _click-pop_ noise as whatever lock he was working on unlatched and the door opened. “So we should try to keep it down.”

“Ugh. It’s _too_ quiet,” Fabian complained, nervously. He shoved open the door to the boys’ locker room with his hip and entered, cautiously. “It’s creepin’ me the hell out, dude. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“It _is_ really weird,” Kristen conceded. “Normally there’s like, at least one person shouting distantly in another classroom somewhere at all times.” Over the call they could hear some papers rustling as Kristen paged through her copy of _On the Subject of World Religions,_ and muttering a spell under her breath. 

“Yeah. Um,” Gorgug started. “I guess I kind of hope that _doesn’t_ happen today, though.”

“Point,” Kristen conceded. 

Fabian stalked through the boys’ locker room, using his darkvision where he could and the flashlight on his crystal where he couldn’t. Besides the dark and quiet, it was just about as he remembered it from the school year; same lockers, same heap of jerseys in the lost and found basket, same smell of sweat and blood and grass that never quite washes out. He swept through and came out the other side, which opened to the hallway where several of the melee classrooms were situated. He began down the hall, then paused. The girls’ locker room also let out here. He’d never paid it much attention before; he wasn’t a girl. But it occurred to him that, unsupervised or in danger, there was very little reasonable explanation as to why Adaine would ever go in the _boys’_ locker room. Even with nearly a year of adventuring under her belt, she was still very much a rule-follower. 

Fabian doubled back and entered the girls’ locker room for a thorough sweep. He didn’t hurry through it; he’d never been in here before, and he didn’t want to miss anything important. _Honestly,_ he wondered to himself, making his way through and looping back. _I’m not sure why I expected something...different._ After all, it was still just a locker room; that it was designated for girls, Fabian discovered, really made no meaningful difference. Same slightly-gross looking showers, same tiles on the floor, even the same smell. _Huh. Adventurers,_ he shrugged. 

“Hey, y’all spellcasters,” Fabian spoke up over crystal again. “The girls. You guys have to do, like, gym classes or something?”

Fig snorted from her end of the line. “Like I follow the class schedule they give me.”

“I do,” Kristen answered. “Yeah, they make everyone take at least, like, an intro to unarmed self-defense class and stuff.”

“Spellcasters are squishy,” Riz commented, mumbling, clearly focused on something.

“Why d’you ask?”

“You in the same period as Adaine?” Fabian asked. “Or, I dunno. You know her locker number or something?”

“Gym locker, you mean?”

“Yeah.” 

“Uhh,” Kristen trailed off. “I think it was like, 76? Something like that?”

Fabian scanned the rows of lockers, most closed and unlabeled, but most without actual locks on their latches. His fingers traced over each number plate until he found what feels like the right one, _73, 74, 75, 76._ “Got it,” he mutters back, inspecting it. Locker 76 was one of the few with an actual locked lock on its latch. He didn’t bother trying to crack its code and instead angled the light from his crystal to try and peer in through the holes on the door. He could just about make out a folded set of athletic clothes tucked in the back, a water bottle, a small vial of some kind of potion, and a pair of shoes. 

“Hey,” Fabian spoke up again. You guys have any idea why there’d be a pair of, like, dress shoes in her locker?”

“Dress shoes?” Fig asked.

“Yeah. I mean, like, not super fancy, but also not just like, comfy everyday footwear.”

“I don’t see why you’d keep something besides sneakers in a gym locker,” Fig answered. 

“Unless you’re wearing your gym shoes,” Gorgug chimed in. “And need somewhere to put your other ones.”

“Good point,” Fig said.

“So she’s been here and she changed out her shoes,” Fabian recounted, coming out of the locker room and heading down the melee hallway. “Maybe she’s getting ready for a fight. I wouldn’t want to fight in heels.” 

Fig snorted. “You wouldn’t.”

Fabian’s face scrunched up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Guys, can we argue about this later?” Riz reminded. 

“Right,” Fabian muttered, peering in through the doors of the classrooms he passed on his way down the hall.

“Oh, we’re continuing this convo later for sure,” Fig chuckled. Fabian rolled his eyes. 

Meanwhile, in the hallway almost directly above the locker rooms, Riz stalked about. The first room he came to was the vice principal’s office, whose lock was pretty easy to pick. Snooping around inside revealed nothing noteworthy; Goldenhoard was long gone and Gilear wasn’t exactly interesting. He ducked back out and closed the door behind him, moving to the next rooms in the hall. Aguefort’s office was adjacent, which Riz tried to break into but unsurprisingly couldn’t. Even if he was rather insane, he was still a very smart and powerful old wizard who knows how to lock a door and enchant it to stay that way. 

Being in the front of the school, this hallway actually had some lighting coming from the windows that looked out over the front lawn and parking lot. The sun was near setting by now and cast a golden-orange hue across the floor and walls. Riz had heard upperclassmen refer to this section of the building as the Hall of Heroes, though during the school year he’d never slowed down enough or bothered to learn why. Now, stalking slowly through the school and paying attention to every little detail, he discovered the reason for its namesake: between the doors to offices and classrooms, tall shelves in glass cases proudly lined the walls. Some displayed winnings from academic or athletic championships: medals from dueling regionals, cups from the annual young wizards' spell-ing bee, several bloodrush championship trophies. Others were filled with weapons, golden daylight gleaming off the shining metal of axe blades and swords. Still others contained more esoteric items: still some weapons, but also books, an ornate fountain pen, a crystal goblet, a silver egg, a copper spyglass, a glittering sapphire ring. A crystal palimpsest.

Riz’s eyes scanned the case. A small plaque labeled each item, and a larger plaque near the base of the case bore an explanation. These were the trophies of great battles, the most epic quests ever undertaken by active Aguefort students, symbols of their heroism. 

(The plaque also explained that the cases were warded against any physical or magical attempts to break in and steal their contents. There were quite a lot of powerful and dangerous weapons and magical items in there, and in a school full of rowdy teenagers, well, it’s wise to plan around them.)

Framed on either side between two trophy cases was a stretch of hall with no doors. Instead the wall was covered with neat rows of frames. Above the frames in bold, ornate lettering, a sign read _Wall of Fame._ All the frames bore a photo, and there was space still below the rows and to the right of the last one, space for future additions. Each photo showed a group of students, and a little plaque on the bottom serving as a label. Riz brushed his fingers along the frames and labels. He paused on the very last one, in the bottom right. He read the label, whispering aloud:

**_Adventuring Party of the Year 2019_ **

** _The Bad Kids_ **

_Adaine Abernant, wizard, ‘23_

_Kristen Applebees, cleric, ‘23_

_Figueroth Faeth, bard, ‘23_

_Riz Gukgak, rogue, ‘23_

_Fabian Aramais Seacaster, fighter, ‘23_

_Gorgug Thistlespring, barbarian, ‘23_

**_For their heroism in solving the Kalvaxus Kaper, reviving Arthur Aguefort, and saving the school from destruction._ **

He recognized the photo: their group selfie from prom, now framed and hanging on the Wall of Fame. Riz let out a somewhat incredulous exhale and stepped away, beholding the wall of photos, glowing in the late-day orange light.

“Riz, you’re muttering again,” Fig said over the crystal.

“Huh?” Riz said, blinking back to reality.

“You’re muttering. Did you find something?” she asked.

“I did. I mean,” he started. “I don’t know if it has anything to do with what we’re looking for, but apparently we’re on the Wall of Fame.”

“Huh! No shit?” 

“What’s the Wall of Fame?” Gorgug asked. 

“It’s in the Hall of Heroes,” Riz explained. “It looks like they have photos of the best adventuring party of each year up here.” His fingers brushed the frames again. “This year’s is us.”

“Huh!” Fig said again. 

“I mean, we _did_ save the entire school,” Fabian pointed out.

“That’s what the plaque says, yeah,” Riz went on. “I think we’re the only party of all freshmen up here. There’s hardly any freshman listed anywhere.”

“Hell yeah. That’s dope. We’re awesome,” Fig concluded.

“Yeah. Um, Fabian, how are you doing?” Riz asked, peering down the hall.

“I’m on my way to the gym, nothing weird around the fighter rooms,” Fabian answered.

“I was gonna check the cafeteria next but it’s right on the way to the gym.”

“I can check it.”

“Okay, cool, I’ll swing down the Lost Hallway instead,” Riz said with a nod. The Lost Hallway wasn’t really lost, but it _was_ at the weird far end of the school past the banks of lockers and the senior lounge. There were only a couple of classrooms down that way, mostly rogue classes, so few other students bothered checking it out. Riz knew his way around there already, though, and figured it was a good place to look for anything suspicious. “Stopping by the counselor’s office on the way. I’ll check the nurse and trainer after the Lost Hallway.”

“Got it,” said Fabian.

“How are the rest of you doing?” Riz asked.

“Gorgug’s got the magic classrooms on the second floor, I’m taking the ones on the first on the way to the auditorium,” Fig reported. This wing, near the rear of the building, backed up to an auxiliary parking lot, a small grass clearing for field exercises, and the woods. Naturally, most of the druid and ranger classrooms were nearby, though Fig found nothing of note in them. The auditorium and band room were likewise empty, although she took the time sweeping the band room to swipe some extra strings and picks for her bass. “Nothing interesting down here. I can meet up with someone else? Who’s nearby?”

“I’m sweeping the caf right now,” Fabian reported. “Nothing weird so far. Checking the gym next, that’s right across the way from the band room, right?”

“I’m just above you,” Gorgug said. “On the second floor.”

“I’ll join you, Gorgug,” Fig said, swinging out of the band room and practically skipping down the hall to the stairs. “Fabes, you’ll be fine in the gym without me?”

“I can join him when I’m done,” Riz said. “The nurse and trainer are right next door.”

“No rush,” Fabian advised. “Gym’s big, but open. Nowhere to hide.”

“Kristen, how’s it goin’ on your end?” Fig asked.

Kristen laughed over the call. “The library door is super locked. I’m trying to go through the crystal lab, they connect through the librarian’s office.”

“Isn’t that where AV club meets? The lab?” Gorgug asked.

“Yeah,” Riz answered.

“Cool. Well,” Kristen said, punctuated by the _thunk_ of a door being shoved open. “The AV club should probably invest in better security.”

Fig snorted. “Are you in?”

Kristen lowered her voice to be gruff and fake-intimidating. “I’m in.” The bad kids all had to stifle their laughter. “Okay but for real I’m in the crystal lab and I’ll check the library soon, and you’re supposed to be quiet in those, so we should do that.”

“Right, good luck,” Fig said, and lowered her crystal from her ear. She didn’t turn it off, but she did pocket it to muffle the sound. At the same time, she hopped up the steps two at a time to the second floor. The staircase opened to the small lobby-like area outside the upper entrance to the auditorium, and connected to the hallway in which Gorgug now appeared, rounding a corner. “Hey,” she said to him, nodding in greeting. 

“Hi Fig,” Gorgug responded, nodding back. “Do you want to help me check these classrooms?” He motioned to the doors with his thumb. There were a few rooms in between them on either side of the hall.

“I can check the classrooms if you want to check the roof,” Fig offered.

“Do you know how to get on the roof?”

Fig beckoned him over with a gesture. Ignoring for now the rest of the classrooms, he came right over and followed the tiefling. They busted through a door near the auditorium's back entrance, revealing a ladder to the sound and lighting booth. “If you go past the booth all the way up there’s a hatch that opens to the roof,” Fig said, pointing up. 

“How do you know about this?” Gorgug asked, beginning to climb.

“I ditched a lot of classes to go exploring this year,” Fig answered with a grin. “It’s a nice place to sit and smoke and be alone for a while. Quiet, nice view.” The hatch clunked open and the last streams of daylight flooded in. She watched Gorgug climb up and disappear from her view, then poke his head back down. “You good to go, buddy?” He nodded. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it.” Fig backed out of the booth and retreated down the hall to check more classrooms.

Leaving the hatch open, Gorgug sat back on his heels, then crouched, then stood up and looked around. Fig was right, there really was a nice view up here. The building was tall enough to offer a pretty panoramic view of Elmville, now shadowed in the growing darkness of sunset. He paused to pull off his sweatshirt; it may have been sunset, but it was still the middle of summer, and quite hot out. He tied it around his waist and wandered over to the edge of the roof (though, peering down at the ground more than two stories below, not _too_ close).

Behind the school, to the south and east, he looked out over the auxiliary lot, the woods, and the back fields used for various sports practices, and the not-infrequent practical exercises in his barbarian classes. The school grounds extended pretty far, he realized; the fields backed up to the woods too, which he knew at least a decent chunk of were school property as well, though he didn’t know where the border went out to. He’d been out there maybe twice since starting school last fall, and once got so lost he had to call Zelda for help. 

The north side looked out over the building’s front. He saw Tracker in wolf form dutifully stalking the perimeter over the building, currently rounding the east side of the building to the front lot again. He whistled down to catch her attention and waved when she looked up. She responded with a yip and returned to her watch. 

Turning once more, Gorgug finally spied something. He lifted a hand to adjust his headphones and said to the group, “Um, I think I found something.”

Fig was the first to respond. “What’s up?”

“There’s some stuff up here.” Gorgug walked over to the northwest corner, where he’d noticed a pile of...something, arranged in something like a makeshift nest a few feet from the edges of the roof. Coming close, he crouched down to get a better look. “Books, um...oh. Oh.”

“Oh?” Fabian prompted.

Gorgug picked up a familiar denim jacket and held it up in the dying daylight. “Yeah, this is Adaine’s jacket.”

There was an uncomfortable silence among them, broken only by someone exhaling tensely through their teeth. “...Fuck,” Fig muttered after a beat.

“Her orb is here too,” Gorgug added, continuing to root through the small collection of items in the nest. “So she’s definitely either here, or was recently.”

“So where the fuck is _she?”_ Riz asked, less angry and frustrated and more simply incredulous. 

“Huh,” said Kristen, carefully weaving between the rows of bookshelves in the library. There were big windows and overlooked both the front lot and the building rear, but the sun was setting. She couldn’t see in the dark, but she'd thought ahead to cast a Light cantrip on her staff, though she still tried to be both thorough and quick in her searching. 

Though not nearly as much of a bookworm herself as her wizard companion, Kristen was no stranger to the library; she knew her way around, and could tell when things were out of place. In several places she found books on shelves leaning or fallen over, clearly giving away that volumes were missing, especially in the history section and the divination section. The ropes separating the restricted sections had been moved slightly, based on the irregular settling of dust around them. Pens were left out, capped but not put away. Crumpled paper sat in otherwise empty trash cans. “Huh,” she repeated, curiously.

“What, did you find something?” Fig asked over the call.

“I might-- huh?” Kristen started, interrupted by a noise behind her, a rustling of paper and a gasp. “Ad--?” She whirled her head around, just in time to see a bolt of frost shoot across the room and slam into her chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> these just keep getting longer dear gd help me
> 
> this chapter goes out to my friend ket because her enthusiastic support is a big motivation for me to actually get off my ass and finish this since it's been sitting in a state of wip in my google docs for a solid month at this point


	9. Leap of Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> changing the rating to Teen on this one, just for canon-typical violence.   
> i was planning on waiting longer to post this to build suspense or whatever but then i got tired of it sitting in my drafts, so enjoy

Intense cold shot through Kristen’s body. The surprise of the attack and the force of the impact knocked her to the ground with a shout and a flurry of snowflakes. Squinting through the pain, she grabbed her staff and angled the light to see her attacker, catching only the briefest of glimpses before they blinked out of sight in a swirl of arcane energy. _“Fuck,”_ she hissed, shivering and curling in on herself.

Knocked from her hand, her crystal erupted into concerned crosstalk from the Bad Kids. “Kristen!?” “What the fuck?” “That sounded bad…” “What was that!?”

Stiff and stinging from the cold, Kristen groaned and rolled over, reaching for her crystal. She grabbed it and said “It’s Adaine.” Her crystal exploded into a chorus of loud and shocked _WHAT?_ s. “She -- _ow_ \-- I saw her, in the, hrrg, library.” She shivered in her heap on the floor. _Whatever spell that was,_ Kristen reasoned, _must've been cast at a higher level than normal; there's goddamn snow around me._ “Hit me with some fuckin’ ice spell and vanished.”

“Frost Bolt,” Riz concluded. She could hear his heavy breaths and fast footsteps over the call, already sprinting down through the school to get there.

“That’s a cantrip,” Fig pointed out, also running.

“Well, fuck me,” said Kristen. The initial pain and shivering subsided enough to let her roll over, crouch, and stand up, using her staff and an adjacent bookshelf to steady herself. “She’s strong as hell, then.”

“Did you see where she went?” Riz asked, hurried. 

Kristen looked over. The only thing remaining where the wizard once stood was a heap of books, hastily dropped to the floor. “No. Some kind of teleport.”

_“Fuck,”_ Riz hissed. “She could be anywhere.”

“What level spell is teleport?” Fig asked. She rounded the corner of the hallway and began sprinting the straightaway into the lobby. “I think it’s high level, can she even _do_ that?”

Through the glass window separating the lobby from the library, Kristen saw another swirl of magic and Adaine reappeared. The two locked eyes.

“Hey!” Kristen shouted, reaching a hand out. “She’s right--!” Adaine’s eyes filled with a bright glow and she blinked out of sight once more. _“Shit!”_ Kristen slammed the butt of her staff down in frustration. 

“Shit! I saw her too!” Fig exclaimed, frustrated. 

“What?” Fabian said. The sound of sneakers scuffing and squeaking followed him. 

“Okay, she _was_ in the library, and then she vanished, and then she _re_ appeared in the lobby, and vanished again,” she explained.

“I know that spell!” Riz shouted. “From back at Ostentatia’s! It’s Blink!” He scrambled back into the Hall of Heroes from the far end and headed for the lobby. “She can’t go far!” 

“Well how far can she--?” Fig started, rushing into the lobby at the same time as Adaine reappeared, only a few feet away from the door and sprinting. “Hey!!” 

Adaine made a move to leap through the hole in the front door, but Fig watched her eyes light up again and, at the last second, she skidded to a stop. In the same second, a pair of glinting eyes and a set of snarling jaws snapped at her as Tracker, in wolf form, lunged through the door. Adaine only narrowly avoided a swipe from the wolf’s sharp claws. 

“Tracker!! Nice!” Fig exclaimed, grinning.

“Did she make it?” Gorgug asked over the call. “I told her to go around front.”

A shot rang out, echoing through the hall. Less than a split second later, Adaine whipped her head around and threw up a Shield of orange runes, just in time to block the bullet whizzing straight at her from down the Hall of Heroes. She stumbled as the bullet cracked right through the spell, and she vanished once again into thin air.

_“Dammit!”_ Riz growled, scampering into the lobby, the end of his gun still smoking. Tracker looked around and let out a confused whine. 

“How far can you go with Blink?” Fig asked, looking around, bass at the ready. 

“Not far. But it’s any direction. She’s probably going outside,” he peered through the gaping hole in the door. 

“I don’t think so,” Kristen said. Riz and Fig looked over, seeing her hunched over a book in the restricted section.

“I don’t think now is the best time for book club, Kris,” Fig said.

“Sure it is.” Kristen glanced up and flashed a quick grin. She pointed down at the book she had open. _“Watches and Wards._ School wards prevent teleportation on or off campus,” she read aloud. “You can teleport within the school, but not into or out of.” 

Riz and Fig met each other with wide eyes. “So she’s still in the building,” Fig concluded.

“Should I come down?” Gorgug said.

Riz glanced around, and held his crystal up. “She’s not up here anymore, which means she either went up a floor or down. Gorgug, stay on the roof. Fabes, you--?”

“I’m on it,” he said, already stalking back through the girls’ locker room. In the blink of an eye, Adaine appeared, only inches away, and yelped in surprise. On instinct, Fabian grabbed the Sword of Seacaster and whirled around, slashing her in the side for a good amount of damage, a bit of blood splattering onto a nearby bank of lockers. 

Adaine winced in pain. The magic around her fizzled as her Blink spell failed, so she ducked, turned, and ran instead. Fabian pursued her as she slipped out of the locker room and down the back hall, towards the ranger and druid classrooms. 

“She’s here and running!” he yelled out over the call. “Closing in on the--” he started, interrupted as the wizard twirled around and threw back a bolt of oozing green magic. It hit Fabian in the chest; he felt a wave of overwhelming nausea come over him, and he had to stop running and vomit his guts out into the nearest trash can. Adaine rounded a corner and disappeared from view. “...fuck,” he groaned. 

“What was that?” Gorgug asked, sounding rattled.

“It sounded nasty,” Fig commented.

“Ray of--” Fabian coughed, the worst of the nausea leaving his body with his milkshake from earlier. “Sickness. Ugh. She was headed towards the back of the school.” 

“Here we go,” Fig beckoned, taking off down the hallway from whence she came. Tracker went back out through the front door and took off running around the building from the outside. Kristen and Riz followed Fig. “You guys stay up here, I’m gonna cut her off on the bottom floor,” Fig said to them, before disappearing in a puff of smoke and shadow. 

The tiefling Dimension Doored down to the floor below. She could hear sneakers on the floor, coming closer, and hid herself behind a corner, readying her guitar like a baseball bat. She waited, holding her breath, until they came closer, closer, closer--

She swung and felt the body of the instrument collide with a face. 

_“Oww!!!”_ Fabian whined. Fig peered around the corner and found him on his ass on the floor, holding his face in his hands. Blood dripped from his nose onto his shirt. “What the _fuck,_ Fig?”

“Sorry, I thought--” She started, holding a hand down to help him up. “Where’s Adaine?” she blinked, looking around frantically. Fabian’s eye snapped open and he looked around too.

_“Shit,”_ he muttered.

“You _lost_ her?” Kristen asked over their crystals.

“She’s a fucking wizard who can teleport and turn invisible and shit!” Fabian exclaimed, frustrated. “This was our problem in the first fucking place!”

Fig moved to the back door, which exited out to the auxiliary lot and the exercise fields. Peering through the door, she spotted Tracker stalking the lot dutifully. “She’s not out back,” Fig reported. 

Muscling through the residual ringing in his head from the hit, Fabian shoved open the door to the stairwell and looked in. Though he saw nothing, he could hear the sound of feet scuffing on the steps echoing. Thinking quick, he ducked back out into the hallway, shut the door, and said into his crystal, “She’s coming up the stairs to the wizard hall!”

“Gotcha!” Kristen responded. The floor above, she pressed herself against the wall beside the door to the stairwell and readied her staff to swing, while Riz ducked behind a classroom door and aimed his gun.

A few tense seconds passed, and the stairwell door swung open. Blindly, Kristen swung her staff, and felt it collide with something -- some _one_ she couldn’t see, who grunted in pain. 

Adaine fell forward, her Invisibility spell evaporating away and her glasses going flying. She hit the floor with a groan and rolled over, hunched on her hands and knees. Riz readied his gun, but felt his finger freeze on the trigger when she looked up and met his eye. She looked exhausted, terrified. But in his hesitation, she now had the opportunity to scramble back to her feet and continue running down the hall. 

“What’s wrong?” Kristen asked him, concerned. “We have to stop her, right?”

“I couldn’t shoot,” he stammered. “I couldn’t-- that’s our _friend.”_ He took off after her down the hall.

“Who could be possessed or something freaky like that,” Kristen said, following him.

He shook his head. “Something’s up, but I don’t think she’s being controlled. I can’t shoot my friend in the face.”

“Okay,” Kristen conceded. “How ‘bout the leg or something non-lethal like that?”

“I guess we can -- _look out!”_ he started, interrupting himself as Adaine up ahead throw another spell their way. A tangled mass of thick, sticky strings suddenly sprouted from the walls and floors and wove together to create a barrier of Web across the hallway. Kristen shouted and ran right into it, becoming instantly stuck; Riz moved quickly and nimbly enough to escape through to the other side unencumbered.

“Ugh, I’ll--” Kristen started, then met Riz’s concerned eye. “Go! I’ll be fine, I just gotta get unstuck,” she told him, tugging her legs through the sticky webs. “Don’t let her get away!” Riz nodded, turned, and ran after their wizard.

A few seconds later, Fabian and Fig popped out in the hallway from the stairwell, huffing to catch their breaths. Kristen turned as much as she could in the webs to look behind her and see.

“This would be,” wheeze, “a lot easier,” wheeze, “if I didn’t have, a goddamn, nosebleed right now,” Fabian said pointedly. He wiped his face, smearing a bit of red across his lip and the back of his hand.

“I said I was sorry,” Fig raised an eyebrow. Fabian squinted and flicked a drop of blood at her. She chuckled, dodging effortlessly.

“Hey, guys!” Kristen greeted, almost too cheerily.

“Oh, sup, Kris?” Fig said, nodding to the webs. “You need some help there?”

“Yes please!”

“Gods, you are the least dextrous person I have ever met, Kristen Applebees,” Fabian commented as he and Fig began to carefully step through the webs and help pull her out. Fabian used his sword to cut through the webs that blocked passage through the hallway, and they reached the other side to clear ground after a few seconds. 

Meanwhile, Riz scampered after Adaine. He noticed she was indeed wearing sneakers, not the dressier shoes she usually wore more casually; still, even in appropriate athletic footwear, she wasn’t very fast, and he was gaining on her. Glancing over her shoulder at him, she noticed this, and ducked into a large classroom just before the upper lobby to the auditorium, slamming and locking the door behind her. 

“No!” Riz growled in frustration, slamming into the door and pulling at the handle. He pounded his fist on the door in frustration, unable to see Adaine through the window; she must’ve retreated further in. 

“The Ball!” Fabian called, behind, coming up through the hallway. Riz glanced to them quickly, then turned to the door.

“Adaine’s in here,” he said, grabbing the Sword of Shadows. “And she’s not getting away this time.” In a smooth motion, he pulled the sword out from its sheath and, casting Misty Step, disappeared in a plume of darkness. 

The shadowy mist reconstituted itself on the other side of the door, and Riz appeared inside the classroom. He kept the sword drawn and his eyes peeled, scanning the classroom. He spotted Adaine in the far corner, frantically rummaging through shelves of books and spell components. 

“Hey!” Riz said, pointing his sword at her. She flinched and turned around. “I don’t want to hurt you. What’s going on?” He asked, slowly pacing closer. Adaine looked like a deer in the headlights, frozen and dazed. “Why the fuck have you--?” 

There was a bang on the door as Fabian tried (unsuccessfully) to bust it down. Riz glanced over, and in his moment of distraction, Adaine threw a Chromatic Orb spell his way. He noticed it coming in time, and moved to duck behind a desk to dodge; in the same instant, though, he saw her eyes flash a bright, almost-blue white and hold out a hand, tugging at the strings of fate themselves. Hiding and dodging, what he was so used to, what he was so good at, failed him as he tripped over his own feet and fell ass-over-teakettle on the floor. 

The spell collided with him and he felt an intense jolt of pain as a shock of lightning damage shot through his body. He gritted his teeth and groaned as the worst of it passed and his muscles relaxed from involuntary spasms. In the back of his mind, he was greatful for Kristen's mess of an Inspiring Speech earlier. He looked back up in time to see Adaine disappear once again before his eyes, vanishing in a cloud of misty shadow.

_“Goddammit!”_ he shouted, slamming his fist on the ground. Behind him, the door busted open, and Kristen, Fabian, and Fig spilled into the room.

“Sol’s son,” Kristen profaned. “What happened?”

“She shot me with a spell and teleported away again!” Riz growled, using the nearby desks to help himself stand.

“How does she _still_ have a teleport spell to cast?” Fig asked.

“I don’t know!” Riz threw his hands up in the air and re-sheathed his sword, then pushed past them out the door and back into the hallway.

“Fucking wizards,” Fabian muttered. “Seriously! How is _anyone_ supposed to fight someone who can _literally see and control the future?_ It’s _bullshit.”_

"Diviners," Fig scoffed, frowning.

“How many of you guys are hurt?” Kristen asked, following them out and holding up a hand glowing gold. 

“The boys are, I’m fine,” Fig said, nodding to them both. “Fight’s not over yet, though.”

"Damage isn't that bad," Fabian conceded. Riz nodded, looking pissed off and determined.

"I can still top you up," Kristen offered. 

“Um, guys?” Gorgug interrupted, still over the call. “I don’t really know what you’ve been doing down there for a while, um, but Adaine just appeared up here. On the roof.”

The four in the hallway locked eyes and nodded, taking off to cross the short distance to the back of the auditorium and get to the ladder in the booth. Kristen muttered a spell as they went, casting a Mass Healing Word over Fabian, Riz, and herself. The pain and aches in their bodies dulled as the magic coursed through and repaired some of the damage.

Meanwhile, Gorgug watched a wisp of dark smoke form, swirl, and dissipate as Adaine Misty Stepped onto the roof. He frowned, concerned, but steeled for battle, and held his axe ready. Adaine stared back at him. He was blocking her things, the books, the jacket, the orb. 

She shouted and reached forward, a hand of pure arcane energy shooting out and grabbing the orb to bring back. 

“Hey!” Gorgug exclaimed, grabbing the orb in mid-air and ending up in a tug-of-war with the wizard’s Mage Hand cantrip. 

“Let _go!”_ Adaine spat through gritted teeth, unable to wrench the orb from Gorgug’s hands. With a grunt of exertion, she redirected the spell to grab one of the books, which Gorgug pinned to the ground under his foot. Frustrated, she huffed, gave up, and shot another Ray of Sickness his way. 

“Why are you acting so _weird?”_ Gorgug asked, face contorting into Rage. By some kind of luck, either good on Gorgug’s part or bad on Adaine’s, the spell missed. He dropped the orb and yelled, rushing forward at her with his axe. He swung once, twice, three times, less trying to chop limbs off and more aiming to knock her over and out. She was utterly incapable of dodging him, with his greater size, speed, and strength. She swung back at him a couple of times with her bare fists, and even made contact once or twice, but they barely registered as hits to Gorgug. He hip-checked her and sent her stumbling with a grunt and a groan to the floor of the roof.

“Gorgug!” Fig called, popping her head up through the hatch and crawling out. Riz popped out next, a few seconds later, and hopped onto the roof, surveying the scene, followed next by Fabian and finally Kristen. Fig hurried to get her guitar in place to cast something, while Riz pulled out his gun. 

Adaine’s eyes widened as she noticed them all. Her heart pounded in her chest and blood rushed in her ears. Her breathing hitched and her eyes darted around, looking for some kind of escape, some way out. The hatch was blocked, even if she could get past the half-orc in the way. Even down on the ground, Tracker was prowling. The aching in her arms and twitching in her fingertips warned her against trying another teleport of some kind. 

“Gotta be out of spells by now,” Riz muttered, taking aim. “Nowhere else to run.”

Well, there was one more trick left up her sleeve. Taking a deep breath, Adaine hauled herself to her feet and took off running; not towards the Bad Kids, nor directly away, not even to her pile of stuff. She shot straight north, to the edge of the roof, without a hint of slowing down.

“She’s gonna _jump!?”_ Fig exclaimed, incredulous.

Riz shot, missing. _“No!!”_

Gorgug threw his axe to the ground and began to sprint after her, yelling.

Under her breath, Adaine muttered a spell as she ran. Her feet began to glow with magic, the effect steadily spreading across her body, a Fly spell in progress. The edge of the roof approached just as fast as the magic materialized around her. Three steps away, two steps, one--

Adaine leapt off the building, arms out wide and fate in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if i spent as much time and effort on the papers i have to write for actual school as i do on this i would have graduated by now


	10. Out of My Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and into your arms, i long to fly

For a moment, she was weightless and soaring.

And in the next instant, large hands grabbed her ankles and yanked her back down to Spyre. Gorgug, nearly leaning halfway off the roof himself, had lunged forward and grabbed on tight. The rage still burning in his eyes said she wasn’t going anywhere, not if he could help it. 

Adaine yelped, clawed at thin air, struggled desperately and in vain against the half-orc pulling her back. From her ankles to her legs and torso he grabbed and pulled her down, and backed the both of them up safely away from the edge of the roof. 

And bringing her down, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could without crushing her bones or squeezing the air from her lungs entirely. 

“I’ve got you now,” he said. The rage melted away from his body and he squinted his eyes shut, hugging her close. “I’ve got you.”

Adaine struggled. She squirmed and fought against his grip. She laid her hands on his chest and shot him with a Bolt of Frost, even hurting herself in the process. Gorgug merely winced and absorbed the cold, absorbed the damage without a word. He didn’t budge. He merely held his friend close and tight. He didn’t know what was wrong, but he knew  _ something _ was wrong. And when your friends are upset, he figured they could always use a hug.

The four remaining Bad Kids stood and watched, gaping and blinking, incredulous. Riz lowered his gun. Gorgug peeked open his eyes and glanced at them, then back down to the elf in his arms.

As the last rays of daylight disappeared in the west, Adaine’s struggling gave way to sobs. She buried her face in his shirt and balled up its fabric in her fists, and her tears soaked in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what's up my name is supercataloupe, i title fics after songs from old musicals, and i simply think gorgug gives the best hugs. happy friday


	11. Sorry

“I’m sorry,” Adaine softly broke the long silence. She stared out over Elmville, the lights of the city glowing in the distance and the lights of the stars twinkling above. She sat on the roof, near the edge but a safe distance away, in Gorgug’s lap with his arms around her. The rest of the Bad Kids had moved to join them, all sitting or laying together on the roof and enjoying each other’s company in silence.

No one had known quite what to do or say, when she’d leapt, or after. Of course they knew something was wrong. Of course they wanted to know what. Of course they wanted to know what they could do, how they could help. But no one had known where to start, and no one wanted to make the wrong move. No one knew what the right move was, either; only that one false step could send their friend flying away once again, and no one wanted that.

They had waited while Gorgug held her tight, until her tears slowed and she seemed to regain some composure. When she had stepped back from his hug, his shirt was soaked. Her face was red and dark and puffy from crying, from fear, from exhaustion. She looked like she’d been through all nine hells and back. 

“Hey,” Fig had said, placing a hand as gently as she could on Adaine’s shoulder. With her other she held out the elf’s glasses, which had fallen off and been left behind in the hallway during the fight. “Here. Sorry, they might be a little…” Fig continued, wincing slightly at their disrepair.

Wordlessly, Adaine had picked up the glasses. They flashed briefly with arcane light; the crooked frames bent themselves back into shape and the crack in the left lens disappeared, a Mending cantrip fulfilling its purpose well. She shook her head slightly to coax a bit of hair out of her face and put them back on; Fig reached over again and brushed back the unruly lock and tuck it behind her ear. 

“Yeah, sorry about the, um,” Fabian had added sheepishly, gesturing to his side. “Y’know. As well.” Adaine had glanced down, to what he referred to, to the large tear in her shirt, and the slash in her side still dripping blood. 

“Right, here, let me help--” Kristen had said, immediately holding out a hand and hitting Adaine with a Healing Word spell. The wound closed up while Adaine cast another Mending cantrip, the rip in the fabric sewing itself back together. “There, good as new,” Kristen had said with a smile. “Well, almost,” she added, grin faltering. The physical damage was repaired, sure, but the ugly, dark red stains hadn’t gone away. Adaine looked close to crying again.

“Hey, here,” Gorgug had said, untying his sweatshirt from around his waist and offering it to her. She looked up at him. “It’s warm out tonight, I don’t need it.” 

For a moment she had been still, then she silently and gratefully took the sweatshirt from him and slipped in on. It was comically oversized on her, but warm and deeply comforting, even more so than her own denim jacket, still left lying with her pile of assorted things. She had exhaled, and everyone was relieved to see some level of relaxation wash over her.

And now they found themselves gathered together in their not atypical arrangement, a pile of friends sitting or sprawling close to one another, together on the roof. Gorgug had pulled Adaine into his lap when she’d sat down, and she seemed to have no interest in leaving the comfort of his arms for a while yet. But no one wanted to rush her for answers or explanations; they waited until she was ready to talk herself. Kristen poked her head over the side of the roof to talk a little with Tracker down on the ground at one point, Fig fiddled with her bass, Riz pulled open and paged through one of the books, all meaning to pass some time until their wizard was comfortable enough to talk. 

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, shrinking back a little bit into the sweatshirt, feeling all eyes turn on her. “I-I didn’t-- I got-- I’m sorry,” she stammered, face heating up. She felt so guilty, where should she even start?

“‘S alright,” Fig said, shrugging as kindly as she could.

“We’ve been through worse scrapes,” Fabian said. He’d taken his eyepatch off and pulled his hair loose to feel the breeze on his face as they sat around.

“I--I mean,” Adaine muttered. “Not just for, for _that.”_

“For disappearing without a trace and scaring us half to death, you mean?” Riz asked. Fig and Kristen both shot him looks. 

“Oh, hey, Adaine, we brought some stuff for you…” Kristen started, quickly changing the subject, pulling her bag into her lap and unzipping it. As she began to rummage through it, Fig continued to glare at Riz.

_“You really wanna give her a hard time right now?”_ she Messaged him, frowning.

Riz’s face scrunched up in retort. _“Well, she_ did, _and we_ still _don’t know what’s up, Fig.”_

_“Maybe lighten up a little, huh?”_ She inclined a motion with her head to the elf, who seemed to be trying to retreat further into Gorgug’s hoodie. _“She’s clearly going through some shit, maybe be just a_ bit _more gentle?”_

Riz raised an eyebrow. _“Since when are you the queen of tact?”_

Fig shot him a grin. _“Since right fuckin’ now, baby.”_ Riz couldn’t help but soften a little at that, enough to crack a small smile in return. _“It’s been a long day.”_

Riz sighed. _“Yeah. It has,”_ he agreed.

Meanwhile, Fabian watched Kristen root through her backpack. “For Yes!’s sake, Applebees,” he said, rolling his head around in mild exasperation. “You have _gotta_ start keeping that thing more organized.”

“No, I know, I know,” Kristen giggled. “It’s in here somewhere…” Adaine poked out a bit more from Gorgug’s hoodie again, frowning. “Here it is--!” Kristen said. A muffled rattling sound came from the bag as she grabbed and produced the pill bottle and held it over to Adaine. “Jawbone asked me to bring these in case we found you,” she explained. Adaine’s frown deepened and she leaned back further into Gorgug. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want them,” Adaine said.

Kristen and Fabian looked confused. “What do you mean, ‘don’t want them?’” Fabian asked.

Kristen turned the bottle over in her fingers a bit. “Aren’t these your anxiety meds?”

“Yeah.” Adaine stared forward. 

“I thought they were working,” Gorgug said, looking down at the girl in his lap.

“They weren’t, really.” Adaine pursing her lips. Her face was hard to read.

Finished her argument with Riz, Fig tilted her head and pointed out, “You haven’t had a panic attack since prom.”

Adaine’s brow furrowed and fingers tightened on her arms in anger. “Yeah, I have.” The Bad Kids exchanged glances. “I’m still anxious all the time, and twitchy and tired,” she complained, frustrated.

Riz leaned over on Kristen and looked at the bottle. “I don’t think it’s good to just stop taking them,” he said.

“They’re supposed to _help,_ not make me feel _worse,”_ Adaine retorted. She didn’t look at anyone, just forward. 

“So you tell Jawbone and do something about it, not just quit cold turkey and run away to feel like shit alone,” Riz shot back. Adaine glanced at him sideways. 

Kristen turned the bottle over again, reading the label. “Yeah, I don’t think it’s good to just stop right away,” she said. “Side effects and shit.” 

Adaine looked away again. Still frowning, but less frustrated, now. Silently admitting her friends were probably right. That she’d fucked up, again. 

“Um,” Kristen started again awkwardly. She went back to the backpack, returning the pill bottle and rooting around for something else. “I swear there was something else…” With a glance, Adaine noticed from the corner of her eye the notebook. She blanched immediately and snatched the notebook, hugging it tight to her chest.

_“Where_ did you get this!?” she demanded, ears turning red.

Kristen paused her rummaging. The Bad Kids exchanged another set of glances with each other. “Um,” Kristen started, frowning. “Your desk?”

“You _went through_ my _desk!?”_ Adaine asked, a bit of indignation returning. 

“Hey, you can go through mine whenever you want too!” Kristen offered, as if that would help. 

“You were missing, we were worried, and we needed clues,” Riz said firmly. 

“My _journal_ isn’t a _clue_ to anything,” Adaine insisted stubbornly. 

“Well, we couldn’t _know_ that until we read it,” Riz countered.

Adaine stood suddenly, escaping Gorgug’s arms. “You _READ it!?”_

“Um,” Kristen started. 

“What’s your _PROBLEM!?”_ she shouted, face hot and red again.

“Hey!” Fig said, jumping up as well. She reached over and put a hand on Adaine’s arm; the elf yanked herself away and scowled in anger. “We had no idea what happened to you and we were _worried!_ Kristen found this weird notebook in your desk, we weren’t finding much else, and we wanted to make sure our _friend_ was _okay!”_

Adaine’s face was still scrunched in embarrassment and anger. She opened her mouth to shout back, but before she could, Gorgug chimed in, apologizing, “I’m sorry we looked at your journal.” Thrown off her train of thought, Adaine looked down at him on the ground. “What’s so special about it?” he asked, not trying to pry, but genuinely confused.

Adaine exhaled and her shoulders dropped. She loosened her grip on the book a bit, looking down at its cover. She brushed her fingers over the Hudol logo on the front. “It...was my sister’s notebook, she was done with it and gave it to me to study for my exam last year. And then I…” she sighed and looked at the ground again. “... _failed,_ and I started using it as a diary. Um,” she continued, trailing off for a beat. Finally, she added in a small voice. “It’s about the last thing I still have from…my family.”

Fig placed her hand gently on Adaine’s arm again. When the elf didn’t move or protest, Fig pulled her in for another hug. Adaine accepted it silently, burying her face in the tiefling’s shoulder. She didn’t cry again, even though she felt quite close to tears. One by one the other Bad Kids got up to join the hug.

“I’m sorry,” Adaine muttered.

“It’s okay,” Fig said as they all pulled away enough to give her some breathing room again. “We’re sorry we looked at it without asking first.”

“You didn’t know, I shouldn’t have freaked out,” Adaine muttered, fiddling nervously with the notebook’s binding. 

“I mean, if it’s that personal, it’s not cool on our part--”

“I should have told you sooner,” Adaine admitted interrupting. Clearly some part of her wasn’t comfortable with being absolved of guilt yet, some part of her still felt like berating was deserved. If no one else was going to provide it, she’d provide it for herself. “It wasn’t fair--I shouldn’t have--”

“Hey,” Gorgug said, putting his big, warm hand on her shoulder. His eyes and frown were soft and gentle. “I think you’ve done enough beating yourself up enough for a while.” After an awkward beat, he added, “Wanna sit back down?”

Adaine sighed and looked down, but nodded. Gorgug wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her back down to sit in his lap. As the rest of the Bad Kids joined them once again on the floor of the roof, sprawling or reclining or sitting up, Adaine leaned back into the half-orc and Gorgug perched his chin on the crown of her head with a comfortable smile. 

_There simply_ has _to be something magic about Gorgug,_ Adaine thought, feeling some of her anxiety melt away. The physical reassurance, the care in his eyes and the softness of his tone, it was like a charm. 

“Can I ask a dumb question, Adaine?” Gorgug asked after a moment or two. Adaine craned her head up to look at his face as best she could.

“Sure,” she answered.

“Why did you run away?”

Some of their companions cringed a little, whether at his directness, his apparent cluelessness, or expecting Adaine to rocket off the roof again somehow. But instead, she merely sighed and looked forward again, frowning up at the stars.

“I’ve been...having a, a rough time, lately,” she started, quietly. Her voice was surprisingly steady. “Um. Like...my anxiety has been really bad lately, and I miss hanging out but I know you’re all busy so I don’t want to bother you all the time, um…”

“Well, that’s not all your fault,” Gorgug said, shifting her in his lap a little so his leg didn’t fall asleep. 

“No, I know, I know, I mean. It’s not just that.” She exhaled and took off her glasses, shaking her head a little bit and rubbing out a smudge on the lens on the fabric of Gorgug’s hoodie. “I’ve also been getting, like, weird visions?” She said, replacing her glasses and brushing the hair from her face. 

“Visions?”

“Yeah, like, um, I’ll just be minding my own business, studying or something, and all of the sudden I’ll get this, like, _flash_ across my vision. Apparently it’s an Oracle thing. Um,” she glanced aside, leaning over Gorgug’s knee and reaching to grab one of the books left on the roof from before, a thick tome in Elvish. “I’ve been reading about what it all means. ‘Cause I have no fucking clue, and it’s terrifying,” she said with a hollow laugh, flipping idly through some of the book’s pages. “I can’t, like, find anything about how to control it, though. Everything I read seems to...assume I know what I’m doing.” A neat frown returned to her lips. Even in the darkness of night, the Bad Kids could see how tired she looked, like she hadn’t gotten a full trance in a few nights, at least one or two levels of exhaustion set in. “Which I don’t. I don’t know how to know when I get these stupid flashes, or how long they’re gonna last, or if they’re going to _hurt_ or not, or what any of them _mean,_ how I’m supposed to _interpret_ them. Which I am, supposed to interpret them. That’s like, all these fucking books will tell me.” She pursed her lips and shut the tome emphatically. “That it’s my _duty_ or _whatever_ to _be the Oracle._ But I don’t know what to _do_ and it’s…” Exhale. “...hard.” 

“Oh,” Gorgug said. She felt him adjust his grip around her middle, holding her just slightly closer now. “I’m sorry. That sounds really frustrating.”

“It is,” she nodded. “...I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before.”

“It’s okay. I mean, _I_ don’t like talking about scary things either,” Gorgug said. 

“Y’know,” Fabian started, rubbing the back of his neck. “While we were looking for you today, uh, we did find out that, um…” he muttered, trying to figure out how to phrase _we went through your mail and found a shady looking elf dude that all want you to leave the Bad Kids to go off and be Spyre’s greatest diviner_ without either accidentally pissing Adaine off or implying that they wanted her to go in the slightest.

“You’re a big deal, girl,” Fig cut in, smiling and placing a hand on Adaine’s knee.

“That’s part of the problem,” the wizard responded. 

“What she means is that there are people who _do_ want to help,” Kristen translated. She nodded to Fabian, sitting on the other side of Gorgug. “Fabes?” 

“You, uh,” he chuckled awkwardly. “Have a lot of mail. From schools and stuff. Inviting you to study at these fancy-sounding academies and shit.”

“And Hudol,” Fig added, eliciting an amused scoff from Adaine. 

“And, um,” Fabian continued, a little more nervous now. “Me and The Ball ran into this elf dude in town today, looking for you.” He frowned; Adaine looked over, frowning too. “He said he wanted to talk to you about some elite divination school.” He rubbed his neck again and went on, muttering. “I dunno. Might be nothing. Might be good.”

“Probably not good,” Riz pointed out. “He _did_ kind of threaten you, Fabian.” Adaine turned to look at the goblin now.

“Yeah…” Fabian admitted.

“Pretty creepy kind of guy. We think he was sent by Fallinel. You also got a letter from a divination academy there, but it still seems really shady to me.”

“I…” Adaine looked down. Her fingers fidgeted with the edges of the large book she still held in her lap. She could feel her nerves twitching inside her again, with the idea of being _sent after_ now. “I know they want me to go back there…” _And they’d probably have the answers to what I need to know about being the Oracle,_ she continued in her head. The Bad Kids waited nervously for her to finish. After a brief pause and a deep breath, she added, “...but I’m still enrolled at Aguefort, and school starts again in a few weeks, so,” she shrugged. “Fallinel can suck it.” 

“That’s our Adaine!!” Fig exclaimed, leaning over to good-naturedly throw herself against her friend, who winced but smiled. “Attagirl!”

The cheer they shared was, even if brief, welcome to them all. 

“Seems like we have our wizard back, then?” Kristen said as they settled down again. Adaine looked back out over the lights of the city in the distance.

“I dunno. I...I still have a lot to...figure out,” she answered.

“Well, hey. The Bad Kids are always here.”

“We could’ve helped, before,” Riz said, sighing. “If we’d known.” He didn’t say it like an accusation. He sounded almost more disappointed, not even in her for keeping quiet, but in himself and the rest of them for not noticing and acting sooner.

“I know, I know…” Adaine looked solemn again. Kristen worried; it was like Adaine was on an emotional seesaw, and just about anything could send her either shooting up or falling down at any instant, and Kristen couldn’t predict which. She could only imagine how at the end of her rope Adaine must’ve been for that to be the case. “I’m just...sorry I didn’t...remember that sooner.” She almost laughed again, hollow and sad. “I don’t think I’m quite used to asking for help yet.” A beat. “Or that I’d get any if I did.”

A moment or two passed before Gorgug spoke up again. She felt his fingers tighten a little again around her middle. “Well...we’ll help however we can,” he reassured her. “I don’t know anything about being an Oracle, but I’m willing to sit with you while you’re figuring it out. If you’d like.”

“Yeah, girl,” Fig added with a smile. “We all would.” The rest of them nodded and grunted their agreement.

She looked among her friends, then leaned back and craned her head up to look at Gorgug. She didn’t speak, but her eyes seemed to ask him _really?_ He gave her what he hoped was his most reassuring look back. He had to guess that it worked, because she sighed again and closed her eyes, letting herself fully lean back into him, letting herself be held, letting herself be loved. 

Suddenly breaking the relative calm and quiet, Kristen exclaimed an “Oh!!” and slapped her own forehead. _“Sol’s son,_ I nearly forgot,” she laughed and once again began to rummage through her backpack.

“A _gain??”_ Fabian whined. Ignoring him, Kristen beamed as she pulled the unmelting popsicle from her bag.

“Here,” Kristen said, smiling and holding it out to Adaine. “When we met up at Basrar’s earlier, he asked us to bring this for you.” 

“You...huh?” Adaine said, gingerly taking the popsicle, still in its little plastic wrapper. It was summer and they’d easily been here for over an hour and a half by now, but it was still frozen. “He did?”

“Yeah. After Riz texted us this morning that you were missing, we all split up to look for clues, and met up at Basrar’s after to discuss,” Fabian explained. 

“You did?” 

Riz nodded, frowning, but not upset. “Yeah. We were really worried. Everyone was.”

“Basrar, Jawbone, Zayn...hell, even Bud Cubby,” Fabian counted off. 

Adaine blinked and thought about this, looking at the popsicle in her hand. Carefully, she unwrapped the plastic, and brought the ice cream up to taste. The flavor was cookies and cream, but it tasted like comfort and care. Like it occurred to her earlier, about how Gorgug’s arms felt wrapped around her and keeping her grounded. Come to think of it, Jawbone was like that, too; his fur and cardigans smelled warm and welcoming. Like laughing with Zayn over a failed attempt at a new spell and not worrying about it. And, in their own ways, each of the Bad Kids felt like that, too.

She sighed and looked out over Elmville again. She let herself smile, just a little.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's another long one but i think it's owed now after the last. love u


	12. No Worries

They took their time making their way back through and out the building, coming down from the roof. Before crawling through the hatch and climbing back down the ladder, they took another selfie together, like the one from prom, with their same exhausted smiles.

Fabian and Fig made a detour to the girl’s locker room to retrieve Adaine’s things from her gym locker (and wipe up the blood drying on the floor). Kristen and Gorgug swung through the library to return the books Adaine had taken out. Riz pointed out bullet holes, dents and slashes from swords and axes, and spell residue on the walls for Adaine to hit with Mending cantrips in an effort to at least try to cover their asses (as if anyone would have been able to distinguish their damage from the damage that had long since existed as the decoration of the school from decades of student scuffles). They paused by the Wall of Fame on their way back to the front lobby, taking in the rows of framed photos, seeing their own faces among them. 

All six Bad Kids reunited once again in the lobby and made for the front door, cringing slightly at the sight of the jagged hole Gorgug had smashed into the wood. Mending would be of no use whatsoever, and Fig simply put her arm on Adaine’s when the wizard had lifted a hand to try anyway. One by one they climbed through and out onto the front steps. Tracker, who had been sitting off to the side, perked up at the sound of them and came over to them.

“Hey,” she greeted. Kristen smiled and met her with a hug. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to come up to get you, so I stayed down here,” Tracker explained.

“You’re good, babe, thanks,” Kristen said, kissing her cheek. With how emotionally rough their reunion with Adaine had been, it was probably for the best that only the core Bad Kids handled the situation. 

“I called Jawbone,” Tracker continued. They all glanced over to the parking lot, where they heard a car door close. Those with darkvision saw a fluffy man in a novelty t shirt and jeans hurrying over. “I hope that’s okay?”

Kristen nodded as Jawbone took the stairs up, two steps at a time. Fig stepped back to gave Adaine some space, but gave her arm a little squeeze for reassurance, sensing as her friend stiffened up again with nerves as he approached. 

“Hey there, kiddo,” Jawbone said, reaching the top of the steps, panting very lightly. “Are you okay? Can I touch you?” He reached to wrap her in a hug, then caught himself and asked permission first. Adaine looked like she might tear up again, but she bit her lip and nodded. Jawbone exhaled and pulled her into a warm, comforting hug. She pressed her face into his shirt and felt his fur on her skin, thick and soft and fluffy, not at all wiry like it was when she first met him. 

Jawbone let go and let her step back after a moment. He brushed a bit of hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You had us pretty scared there for a bit, kiddo. Everything alright?” Adaine took a deep breath and nodded again. She opened her mouth to start trying to explain, but couldn’t find the words. “We don’ hafta talk about it all right this minute if you don’t want,” he said. “Tracker here said you kids were goin’ through it together -- I came over to wait for you, I called Arthur Aguefort, shouldn’t be a problem, don’t worry about anythin’, okay?” Some relief washed over Adaine’s face, her shoulders relaxed a bit. Jawbone smiled. “Have you eaten yet? It’s gettin’ late.” She shook her head no. The realization that she’d eaten basically nothing except a granola bar or two in the past couple of days didn’t sink in until just then, and her stomach began to churn with hunger instead of anxiety for once. “Let’s hit up Krom’s diner on the way home, how ‘bout that, huh? Sound good?” 

“Ooh, can we come too?” Fig asked. Fabian nudged her in the side with his elbow. “What? We haven’t eaten yet, either.”

“Of course, all y’all are invited, too! The more the merrier!” Jawbone grinned his fanged grin.

“I call shotgun!” Fig shouted, racing down to the lawn and the parking lot.

“I’m taking the Hangman over,” Fabian announced, beginning down the steps. “The Ball?” he prompted, glancing over his shoulder. 

“Right behind you,” Riz answered, scampering to follow.

“Can we fit all the rest of us in Jawbone’s car?” Gorgug asked.

“Tracker can sit in my lap,” Kristen offered, sharing a grin with her girlfriend.

“Or we can put one of you in the trunk,” Adaine interjected pointedly, pursing her lips and raising an eyebrow. After a second, the girls all broke out giggling. Kristen wrapped an arm around Adaine and pulled her into a quick side hug.

“That’s our Adaine. ‘S good to have you back, girl.”


	13. Amen!

_\-- PrayerChain messenger -- Praise Helio! --_

_Adaine Abernant joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Kristen Applebees joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** adaine!!

_Gorgug Thistlespring joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** hey girl!!

 **Gorgug:** Hi adaine

 **Adaine:** Kristen, I’m right down the hall, you can say hello to me in person.

 **Gorgug:** Hi kristen

_Riz Gukgak joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** more fun to do it this way

_Fabian Seacaster joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Gorgug:** Hi riz

 **Fabian:** oh goodie were doing this again

_Fig Faeth joined the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Gorgug:** Hi fig

 **Gorgug:** Hi fabian

 **Adaine:** Good morning, everyone!

 **Riz:** is something wrong?

 **Adaine:** What?

 **Fig:** oh shit hey girl!

 **Adaine:** I don’t think anything is wrong. Is something wrong with you guys?

 **Fig:** im fine

 **Gorgug:** Im fine

 **Fabian:** other than being awake too damn early no

 **Adaine:** Riz, why do you ask?

 **Riz:** i dunno

 **Riz:** just worried i guess?

 **Fig:** i mean u do text like ur writing an essay for class

 **Fig:** with like punctuation n capitalization n everything

 **Adaine:** How else would I text?

 **Fig:** i mean u can text however u wanna lol

 **Riz:** i just assumed something was wrong

 **Adaine:** Oh, no. I just wanted to say good morning.

 **Gorgug:** Thats nice

 **Adaine:** I think someone asked me when we went to Krom’s to check in this week, so I am.

 **Kristen:** haha yeah

 **Riz:** everything’s okay?

 **Adaine:** Yeah, I’m doing a bit better now.

 **Adaine:** Jawbone is helping me switch prescriptions and I’m going to try out some new meds soon.

 **Adaine:** I’ve caught up on rest, too. I tranced for almost eight hours last night.

 **Riz:** damn

 **Kristen:** yeah you were out like a light when we got back

 **Fabian:** do u not sleep for 8 hours

 **Riz:** i don’t

 **Riz:** wait are you supposed to?

 **Adaine:** Normally I’m good with four hours for a long rest.

 **Fabian:** fuckin elves

 **Gorgug:** Riz i think so

 **Fig:** man i remember those days

 **Kristen:** who was that guy who showed up this morning?

 **Riz:** huh?

 **Gorgug:** What guy

 **Adaine:** Were you in your room the whole time?

 **Kristen:** nah i was in Tracker’s room. i heard you and Jawbone talking to someone 

**Fig:** lol whos surprised

 **Adaine:** Oh. It was an elf who’d come to talk to me about going to a divination academy in Fallinel.

 **Fig:** oh shit

 **Riz:** i bet it’s the same guy we ran into yesterday, Fabian

 **Fabian:** maybe

 **Fabian:** did he look real fuckin judgemental and pompous

 **Fig:** lol 

**Riz:** that’s not helpful all elves look like that

 **Adaine:** ...

 **Kristen:** LOL

 **Riz:**...um

 **Adaine:** Haha, it’s fine. I know what you mean.

 **Fabian:** i mean hes not wrong

 **Fig:** nah thats just high elves

 **Fig:** wood elves arent pompous just judgemental

 **Gorgug:** Adaine arent you a high elf?

 **Riz:** i fucked up can we move on

 **Adaine:** I am. And Fig is kind of right. I mean, we do all kind of suck.

 **Gorgug:** I dont think you suck

 **Adaine:** Thanks, Gorgug.

 **Adaine:** Anyway, to answer your question, yes, he looked exceedingly pompous and judgemental. 

**Fabian:** called it

 **Adaine:** He said he was from Fallinel and wanted to invite me to study at the divination academy there, since I’m the Elven Oracle. 

**Adaine:** He really tried to sell it too me, too. I think they really want me back over there, not here in Solace.

 **Kristen:** what’d you say?

 **Adaine:** I said no thank you.

 **Fig:** hell yeah girl!

 **Gorgug:** Wouldnt you want to go though?

 **Riz:** i mean you said yourself you don’t know what you’re doing

 **Riz:** not that any of us want you to go, but

 **Riz:** i bet you would learn a lot more about being the oracle that way

 **Adaine:** While that is true, sophomore year starts soon, and I’m not interested in transferring schools right now. I like going to Aguefort.

 **Adaine:** It might be difficult, but I think this Oracle stuff is just something I’ll have to get used to and figure out on my own?

 **Adaine:** Which is a little scary. But I’m going to try to remember that I’m not alone and I have people who can help me in the future.

 **Kristen:** exactly!!

 **Fig:** hell yeah girl

 **Gorgug:** Yeah were here for you

 **Adaine:** Also, fuck Fallinel. I don’t want to go back there. Fallinel sucks.

 **Fig:** lol u tell em

 **Riz:** isn’t that where your family is?

 **Adaine:** I don’t know for sure, but probably. 

**Adaine:** I don’t really care, though. They’re terrible. I don’t need them anymore. I don’t want to see them again. I have you guys and Tracker and Jawbone now.

 **Fig:** attagirl

 **Kristen:** amen

_Kristen Applebees gave an amen! Praise Helio!_

**Fabian:** so help me god kristen applebees im gonna ride the hangman right over to strongtower and slap the shit out of you for that

 **Fig:** lol amen

_Fig Faeth gave an amen! Praise Helio!_

**Kristen:** haha

 **Fabian:** FIG

 **Fig:** come at us bitch u know the rules

 **Fig:** u set foot in strongtower u pay for takeout, rich boy

 **Fabian:** fuck no

 **Fabian:** not again

 **Fig:** fine then. amen

_Fig Faeth gave an amen! Praise Helio!_

**Fabian:** fig i swear to god

 **Riz:** guys

 **Adaine:** Is that really necessary? Is there any way to turn that off?

 **Riz:** you’re lucky you weren’t here for the last convo

 **Adaine:** I did get the notifications later.

 **Riz:** well. okay

 **Gorgug:** Why dont we just make a normal group text?

 **Adaine:** That’s a good question.

 **Kristen:** cuz there’s nothing wrong with Prayerchain, that’s why!

 **Fabian:** everythings wrong with prayerchain applebees

 **Fig:** im kinda with kristen on this one this is pretty fun actually

 **Fabian:** fuck this

 **Adaine:** I’ll make a group text.

 **Riz:** already on it

 **Riz:** you all should’ve just gotten invites

 **Gorgug:** I got it

 **Kristen:** same

 **Adaine:** I did too. Are we moving the conversation there?

 **Fig:** no i wanna stay in prayerchain lol

 **Fabian:** fine then i guess we wont include you when we make plans for today

 **Fig:** aw fuck no fuck you

 **Gorgug:** Are we making plans?

 **Riz:** i mean we could. is anyone busy?

 **Kristen:** im free

 **Gorgug:** I dont think im busy

 **Fig:** we had a band meeting later but fuck that

 **Gorgug:** Oh ok

 **Fabian:** fantastic

 **Fabian:** well what do we want to do today

 **Riz:** Adaine did you have anything you wanna do?

 **Adaine:** I was thinking of going to the library a bit later. 

**Fabian:** oh my god always with that nerd shit

 **Adaine:** But I can do that another time, I guess? We can do something else today, that’s fine. If that’s not what you guys want to do. Or you can hang out without me and I can go by myself. It’s okay.

 **Fig:** lol

 **Riz:** Fabian, don’t be a dick

 **Riz:** i think the library sounds like a good place to start

 **Riz:** we can see where we go from there

 **Fig:** sounds good

 **Kristen:** i like that idea!

 **Gorgug:** Sure

 **Adaine:** You guys don’t have to, it’s okay.

 **Fig:** nah girl we want to

 **Fig:** it’ll be fun

 **Adaine:** Well, alright. If you say so.

 **Riz:** Fabian?

 **Fabian:** ugh

 **Fabian:** fine

 **Riz:** great

 **Kristen:** Jawbone can take me, Fig, Riz, and Adaine over together in his car

 **Riz:** meet there in 15?

 **Fig:** **👍**

 **Adaine:** Absolutely!

 **Gorgug:** Yes

 **Fabian:** sure

 **Kristen:** yes!

 **Riz:** cool

 **Riz:** see you soon, guys

 **Adaine:** I love you all. See you soon!

 **Fig:** ❤️

 **Kristen:** love u girl!!

 **Fabian:** same

 **Gorgug:** You too

_Fabian Seacaster left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Adaine Abernant left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Fig Faeth left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Kristen Applebees left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Gorgug Thistlespring left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

_Riz Gukgak left the prayer circle. Praise Helio!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally done! thank you so much for reading, i had fun writing this one and i can't wait to get to working on new projects now that this one is completed. comments are always much appreciated. catch me on tumblr @supercantaloupe. i hope you enjoyed!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys I watched all of Fantasy High in about a month's span and fell in love wiith it so now I am writing. I hope you enjoy!


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